Dangerous Secrets
by Ty Parsec
Summary: Randall's world is turned upside-down once again when he finds himself a target for some mysterious stalkers. Who are they and what do they want? What he finds out takes him and his friends on a mission to stop them - before it's too late.
1. The New Monsters Inc

**Dangerous Secrets   
by Joy**   
  
NOTE: Ah yes, here is my long (or seemingly long) awaited sequal to Winds of Change! Back by popular demand! I might not be adding some chapters as quickly as others with school and stuff, so ya.   
  
**DISCLAIMER**   
  
BTW, Monsters Inc. and its characters (unfortunately Randall too) belong to those geniuses at Pixar and Disney (yes, don't sue me but hire me instead ~_^). The characters Leia Kawaii, Caylin Swisher, Mitchell Wazowski, Bruton Kilroy and the B.G.B, Naomi, Rayford, Midnight, and the S.S.O are my creations, please don't use them without my permission. Oh yeah, and no, I'm not going to tell you anything about them yet. Ya gotta read the fic. *grin*   
  
And as always. . .Please R/R! Once and awhile, I just need a little motivation to keep going. ^_^ It takes quite a bit of time to write a great story like Winds of Change or Dangerous Secrets (at least for me).   
  
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**Chapter One - The New Monsters Inc**   
  
Randall casually walked down the sidewalks of Monstropolis on his way to work, a scarf wrapped snugly around his neck and a four-armed denim jacket shielding his upper body from the bitter cold. Caylin was at his side, wearing much of the same thing - except in alot of shades of red, his favorite color. The hardening snow on the sidewalk crunched under their feet as they strolled past the Grossery. The owner smiled, recognising the two monsters.   
  
"Well if it isn't Randall Boggs and Caylin Swisher," the grosser said in his distinct Italian accent. "How are you doing this-a morning?"   
  
The two stopped and Randall shoved his hands into his pockets, shrugging his shoulders lightly. "We're doin' fine. Though we're freezin' our tails off in this cold," he said. "If Waz-er, Mike hadn't totalled my new stealthcycle, we'd be riding to work today. But, y'know how life goes."   
  
"Yeah, as I always say, when life throws you a wrecked motorcycle - make hot chocolate and try again," Caylin added, in his usual cheerful, joking tone. He was now twenty-eight, but his age never stopped him from acting like a kid.   
  
The grosser chuckled heartily and tossed both of them a spiny orange. "Well, don't get too cold now boys," he said, getting back to work bringing some boxes of fruit inside.   
  
Randall caught his and took a bite out of it, continuing down the sidewalk. Caylin loved spiny oranges and made his disappear in no time. They turned the corner down Scare Street and the huge building of Monsters Inc appeared in all it's splendor. It still looked reletively the same, but since Sulley's decision to expand two years ago, it had been renovated to accomodate the extra scare and laugh floors. But the effort had been well worthwhile. They had now expanded to exporting scream and laugh energy to other countries in the Monster World. Monstermerica had so much that it wasn't a problem to sell large quantities of it to places like Rusha and Ahhstralia.   
  
Randall and Caylin pushed the doors open and entered the lobby. As usual, monsters swarmed back and forth like cars in rush hour traffic as the two made their way towards the hallway leading to the Scarefloors.   
  
Caylin looked at his buddy. "Hey, y'know what?"   
  
"No, what?" Randall replied. He was never into guessing games.   
  
"I kinda need a favor from you," he answered, getting right to the point.   
  
They went into the men's locker room and took a seat on the bench by their adjacent lockers. Randall began to take off his jacket and shot a glance at Caylin. "A favor huh?" he began. "I'm listening, go on."   
  
"Well, my sister, you know Amy. She came over last night and blew up the stove. . ." he said simply.   
  
"Blew up your stove?" Randall said, quirking an eyebrow at him. "I can't even manage to do that. And you know how badly I cook."   
  
"I mean, I wanted a renovation and all, but that wasn't exactly what I had in mind," Caylin commented, hanging his coat on the wall hanger.   
  
Randall hung his up too and chuckled. "Yeah. . .But why're you tellin' me?"   
  
Caylin clasped his hands together and got down on his knees. "Will you pleeease let me stay at your apartment?"   
  
Randall was caught off-guard. "My apartment?"   
  
"Yeah. I need time to get my apartment cleaned out and my kitchen re-built," Caylin said.   
  
"You can get off the floor now, Cay," Randall replied.   
  
"Oh, uh, yeah," Caylin stammered, standing up again. "So, will you?"   
  
Randall shrugged. "I don't see why not. I knew I kept a spare bedroom for some reason," he replied, taking his ID card out of his locker and heading out for the Scarefloor.   
  
"Oh, thank you, Rand," Caylin grabbed his MI helmet and ID card and ran out after him to catch up. He slowed to a walk once they were side-by-side. "I owe you one."   
  
"And that's why I'm doing it," Randall replied, a smirk on his face. "Just kiddin'."   
  
Caylin punched him in the arm. "Very funny, man."   
  
Randall laughed and stopped by Roz's office window to pick up the scare folders and placed them in Caylin's hands. "I'll see you in a few."   
  
Caylin saluted and marched onto Scarefloor H with the folder under his arm and a blue company helmet on his head. He was beginning to like the idea of being "Scare Assistant of the Year" two years in a row.   
  
Randall was beginning to come into his own too. He had been Top Scarer for a straight year and eight months already and won the title of "Scarer of the Month" consecutively every month since then. Both had been on a roll and Caylin planned to help keep it that way for, at least, a little while longer.   
  
The two had become a dynamic duo since teaming up as scarer and scare assistant. Caylin's humorous nature and workout ethic made him equalled only to Mike. He made the atmosphere less stressful with his cheery attitude and constant encouragement.   
  
Randall, meanwhile, did the normal workout routine without complaint and was getting more and more inventive with his scaring technique. Yes, they were often considered the best duo since Sulley and Mike, something which Caylin was growing very proud of.   
  
He ran a card through the slot in Station 6 and a door lowered into its holder. "Stand by monsters," the floor manager, Jerry, said. "We've got Scarers coming in."   
  
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"Oh yeah, you're doing great Rand," Caylin said, taking a scream canister out of its holder and bringing another door in. "Keep this up and you'll break the Yearly Scare Record!"   
  
Randall didn't give him a reply. He was mentally in full scare-mode, concentrating on his craft more than anything else. But he knew Caylin was right, a hundred more scares and he'd break the record. All the more of a reason to keep it up. He opened his next door and vanished, slithering inside. Caylin pressed his ear to the door just as a ear-piercing scream came from inside.   
  
The canister immediately filled up and Caylin barely had time to get out of the way as the door swung open. Randall scrambled out and promptly shut the door behind him. Randall pressed his back against the door, closed his eyes, and shook his head slowly. He looked as if he had had a little scare himself, since he was breathing faster.   
  
"What happened?" Caylin asked.   
  
"The kid had a pet wolf!" Randall exclaimed. "No one told me about a wolf. I mean, what kind of kid has a pet WOLF? For Monstropolis sake."   
  
Caylin flipped over the file pages for the child and shrugged. "It's an Inuit boy. That means they live all the way in Alaska."   
  
"No wonder it was so darn cold there. . ." Randall muttered. "Ah well, at least I didn't get torn limb-from-limb and I got the scare. What more can ya ask for?"   
  
Just then, the quitting bell rang and the monsters began filing out. Caylin picked up his paperwork and both of them headed for the door. Randall ran a hand through his fronds and grabbed a can of free soda slime that was setting on the coffee table with the snacks and other goodies. Caylin ducked into the men's locker room and came out carrying their coats and stuff. They passed the Daycare Center door and Mike and Sulley were standing there.   
  
Caylin stopped. "Hey Mike, Mr. CEO! Picking up Mitchell are ya?"   
  
The green eyeball and blue CEO turned around. Mike got a smile on his face. "Yeah. The little guy's so hyper, he NEEDS daycare," he said. "So, we're picking 'im up."   
  
"Hi Randall, Caylin," Sulley replied, then held up a hand and smiled. "But, please, call me Sulley."   
  
"Hey," Randall greeted. "So, how's Mitchell?"   
  
"Just peachy," Mike replied, opening the daycare door and calling for him.   
  
Three-year-old Mitchell Wazowski came running towards his 'daddy' on two short legs. He looked so much like Mike, but he was lavender like Ceila with a big, curious green eye and short, red snakes for hair that stuck out from under his backwards 'Monstropolis Sluggers' cap. Mike scooped the round child up and handed him to Sulley.   
  
"Hewwo Uncuu Sulley!" Mitchell cooed excitedly, wiggling in Sulley's furry grip.   
  
Sulley chuckled, barely able to hold onto the kid. "Why don't I just put him on the floor Mikey?" he said, setting the hyper toddler on the tiled floor.   
  
Mitchell ran up to Randall and looked up at him with a big eye. "Hewwo Uncuu Wandall."   
  
Randall smirked and ruffled the cap on his head. His snakes hissed excitedly, conveying Mitchell's every feeling. "Hey there," he replied. "How's life with Sullivan? Be a good boy and mess up his fur for me, will ya?"   
  
Mitchell giggled and ran back to Mike. Sulley chuckled. "I heard that," he said accusingly.   
  
"Yeah, and. . .?"   
  
Caylin smiled. "Anyways," he said. "Great seeing you guys. We'll drop by your place Friday for Charades Night. I can do a great impression of the Abomidable Snowman! And I hear Randall's pretty good at charades too."   
  
"Sounds great," Sulley replied. "See you then."   
  
"Yeah, and watch us beat your team's butt," Mike added.   
  
"Oh, we'll see about that, Wazowski," Randall replied.   
  
"Then let the games begin," Mike shot back with a smile.   
  
Caylin chuckled. "We'll settle this once we get in the arena guys, then you can go at each other," he said. "Bye Sulley! Bye Mike!"   
  
Sulley and Mike waved, carrying Mitchell towards the Laughfloor locker rooms. Randall slipped his arms through the sleeves of his coat and zipped it up. Boy, he hated winter. When you were a cold-blooded reptile-monster, winter was a hard time to be out and about. Normal reptiles would shut down their vital systems and hibernate in weather like this.   
  
They passed by the receptionist's desk on their way out and headed out into the freezing wind. Randall shivered at the sudden change of temperature. Inside it was toasty warm, but outside it was the exact opposite.   
  
The trees along the road had no trace of leaves left and the streets were a bit icy, monster snow trucks came by every once and awhile to clear it after a big snowfall, but sometimes a few patches were left untouched. He was glad that, at least, today it was sunny and clear. Blizzards were a lizard-monster's worst nightmare.   
  
Caylin passed a few stores, looking in the windows every once and awhile at what they had to offer. "Hey, Randall," he began. "Have you talked with Leia recently?"   
  
Randall blinked. He had called her a couple of times earlier in the year, but for some reason she never answered. And he had seen her face on the cover of a couple of magazines last year. But since then, he hadn't seen hide nor hair of her. He simply shrugged, his hands in the pockets of his jacket.   
  
"No," he said. "I can never get ahold of her number. And I have no idea where she is now. For all I know she could be in Scarely, Norway."   
  
Caylin nodded and furrowed his brow. "It's kinda strange though, don't ya think?"   
  
Randall shook his head. "Not really, I mean, she said she'd be busy n' all with that tour of hers."   
  
"Yeah, but she said she'd return your calls," Caylin pointed out.   
  
Randall just half-rolled his eyes and kicked some snow from the sidewalk. "Women. . ."   
  
Caylin patted him on the back with a gloved hand. "Don't worry, you'll hear from her again," he said. "Sorry I brought it up. Now, let's head over to your apartment for some nice warmness."   
  
"It's okay," Randall said, a half-grin on his face to show it wasn't taken too seriously.   
  
Caylin smirked. "Race ya there."   
  
"You're - Hey!" Randall exclaimed as Caylin shot off like a rocket down the sidewalk without warning. "You cheater!"   
  
"Hey, I thought you'd be experienced in that," Caylin called back with a smile, picking up the speed.   
  
Randall smirked and took off after him. "Okay, you're really in for it. Now, stand still so I can kill you properly!"   
  
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NOTE: Didja like it? I thought I'd start you guys out easy and introduce you to their world two years later and let you in on what's been going on since Winds of Change. 


	2. Midnight Visitors

**Dangerous Secrets   
by Joy**   
  
NOTE: Yup, you guys get two chapters! Nice aren't I? lol. Gotta love four-day school weeks. ^_^   
  
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**Chapter Two - Midnight Visitors**   
  
It was already dark outside when Caylin and Randall approached Randall's apartment room and opened the door. They had made a pit stop by Caylin's apartment to pick up his suitcase and his fluppy - the monster world version of a puppy. With a soft bang, Randall closed the door behind them.   
  
Caylin brushed the snow out of his crest of dirty blonde hair and took off his cap. Randall's apartment was roomy, like Sulley and Mike's old apartment, but had plenty of touches that were uniquely his - like his collection of novels that sat on a large bookcase near the door.   
  
Surprisingly enough, he seemed to like reading - especially thrillers. A well-worn copy of 'Jurassic Park' stood as a reminder of his trips to the human world. He had snatched it from the Southern lady's bedroom, mostly out of curiosity, but he soon became hooked.   
  
The apartment even had a small, cramped kitchen near the back, though the food Randall attempted to make in it caught on fire more than once. Caylin had even gotten him a book entitled 'How to Cook Without the Aid of a Fire Extinguisher', as a humorous birthday gift. Since then, Randall was getting better at it. At least he wasn't making fish ala flambe` anymore.   
  
Randall brushed snow off his fronds as he began to take off all the winter gear. "Who knew a tree could hold so much snow?" he muttered brushing his tail off as well.   
  
Caylin chuckled. "Yeah, makes you wish they gave you a fair warning before dumping their payload on ya," he added, hanging up his snow-caked coat.   
  
The three-eyed, dalmation fluppy wiggled in Caylin's grip and he carefully let it onto the the light blue carpet of Randall's living room. The little, white-on-black spotted fluppy put its nose to the ground and sniffed around the new place excitedly.   
  
It's tail was going off like a plane propeller. It shook it's body to get the cold flakes of snow off of his fur, the ice crystals flinging everywhere. Only with alot of coaxing did Randall allow Caylin to bring the dog into his apartment room.   
  
Caylin leaned down and smiled at his pet. "Now, Midnight, you be good for Randall, okay?" he told the animal.   
  
Midnight cocked his head, his tongue hanging out of his mouth. The fluppy's large, innocent turquoise eyes looked up at Caylin curiously. He barked a little 'yip' and ran around the room in full hyperness, behavior typical of fluppies. Randall leaned back and folded his arms, glancing at Caylin sternly.   
  
"Which means no going on the floor," Randall stated right off the bat. "Or you're cleaning up after the little whirlwind."   
  
Caylin saluted, standing at attention. "Aye aye Cap'n."   
  
"Good. Now, who's for hot flurd soup?" Randall asked.   
  
"I sure am," Caylin replied, waltzing to a green sofa and plopping down on it. Midnight jumped up on his lap and curled up contentedly. "I'm so frozen I think my brain's become a popcicle."   
  
He laughed. "Comin' right up," he replied, heading into the kitchen.   
  
Randall was in the kitchen for no more than a minute when he noticed his answering machine light blinking. He went over to it and pressed the 'play' button, letting it play over the speakers. One was from Sulley, reminding him of charades night. Another was from a phone salesman, asking him to buy something he knew he didn't need. Randall rolled his eyes and popped the bowls of soup in his trusty microwave, turning his attention away from the answering machine. 'Probably more phone salesmonsters,' he thought.   
  
"You can run, but you can't hide," a voice said. Randall began to pay closer attention as a very unfamiliar voice came over the speakers.   
  
"We know where you live," the message finished in a very foreboding and dark tone of voice. It was short, it was simple, and it didn't make much sense. But there was something very eerie about the mysterious message.   
  
"What kind of crazy nut leaves a message like that?" he muttered, staring at the answering machine. He shook his head as the microwave beeped. "Don't tell me I'm dealing with some kind of psycopathic maniac. . ."   
  
"Is it soup yet?" Caylin asked, poking his head into the kitchen. His fluppy padded in after him, sniffing the floor for any leftover food that might have been dropped.   
  
"Yeah," Randall replied, handing him the bowl.   
  
"So, what's all this about calling your microwave a psycopathic maniac?" Caylin asked after eating a spoonful of soup. "If you ask me, I think you've been out in the snow too long."   
  
Randall emptied his mouth before replying. "No, I wasn't calling the MICROWAVE a psycopathic maniac," he corrected, pressing the replay button on his answering machine. "Listen to this."   
  
The eerie message played evenly over the speakers again and Caylin stared at the answering machine for a moment. He looked like he was about to drop the bowl of soup and Midnight sat at his feet eagerly, just waiting for the mistake to happen so he could have a little snack. But, unfortunately, it didn't and his ears lowered in disappointment, walking back out the kitchen door.   
  
"Oh. I see."   
  
Randall pressed the button to turn it off. "Yeah. Pretty crazy, huh?"   
  
"Very," Caylin replied. "All I can say, is I wouldn't want to be you right now."   
  
"Yeah, well, thanks for the moral support," Randall said sarcastically.   
  
"But, seriously man, it could just be a prank call or something," Caylin offered. "Those things happen."   
  
"Yeah, I know, but what about that 'You can run, but you can't hide' thing?" Randall asked. "Isn't that a tad suspicious?"   
  
Caylin shrugged. "I guess so, but my advice is don't take it too seriously unless you've got proof that it's some crazed psyco-maniac."   
  
Randall finished off his bowl of soup and put it in the dishwasher. Caylin did the same and both of them went back into the living room. Caylin glanced at the clock and then back to Randall. It was almost ten.   
  
"I think I'm gonna go hit the sack," he said. "Mind if I borrow a blanket to put in Midnight's basket?"   
  
"Sure, there should be some on the end of your bed," he replied.   
  
Just then, Midnight ran in from the bathroom and jumped up eagerly at Randall, barking like puppies do. His tail was going a hundred miles and hour. Randall couldn't help but chuckle a bit and began to pet the fluppy on the head. Midnight leaned into the touch and panted happily at getting what he was after. He licked Randall's hand a couple of times before following Caylin into the spare guest bedroom.   
  
Randall stretched and headed for his own bedroom. The light of a bedside lamp illuminated the room with a soothing glow. Randall closed his door partway and crawled in bed. He rolled on his side, tucking his upper arm under his pillow. Looking out the window across from his bed, he could see the moon and stars.   
  
For some reason, that haunting message on his answering machine wouldn't leave his mind. Was it really just some silly prank, like Caylin had said? He decided he wouldn't let it worry him. Randall reached over and shut off the light before drifting off to sleep.   
  
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_*SSSHHHHT*_   
  
The slow sound of an opening window could barely be heard in Randall's room. It was twelve fifteen - way past the time any normal monster would be walking around outside. But, nonetheless, a dark figure came inside, letting a soft breeze of bitter cold wind. Two eyes scanned the room for its target and they stopped on Randall.   
  
Oblivious to the intruder, Randall had his face partially buried in his pillow, fronds relaxed. His arms gently embraced the pillow as a soft snore confirmed his innocent state.   
  
The figure whispered something to themself and soundlessly approached his bedside. Feeling the icy draft wafting in, Randall shivered and pulled the sheets closer to his body. He was in no mood to get up. But the feeling that he was being watched creeped into his subconscious. His eyes flew open and he saw someone that was all-too-familiar. Even if he couldn't see the monster clearly, it had to be her. . .   
  
"Leia??" he asked in shock, propping himself up in bed on his elbows. "How in the heck did you get in my apartment?"   
  
She didn't answer him. Leia just took something from her belt and pointed it at his forehead. It was a loaded handgun! Randall's eyes went wide and he sat fully upright. "Whoa, have you lost your mind or something?!" he asked. "I mean, I understand getting angry if I missed any important calls, but this is insane."   
  
"That's not it," she said. "I'm just making sure you don't move from this spot until they arrive."   
  
Randall squinted at her. "'They'? Who's 'they'?"   
  
Just then, a large, bulky monster with many eyes, similar in apperance to Ranft, came in through the window. He was followed by a couple more nasty-looking monsters. Randall glanced from Leia to them. Why was she involved with these guys? Who were they?   
  
The big monster approached Leia. "Good work, Kawaii," he said, shifting his view to Randall.   
  
Randall frowned in outrage and began to get out of bed, but Leia pointed the gun threateningly against his forehead. "I said don't move," she ordered. "And the moment you try disappearing, this gun's going off."   
  
Randall froze. He was shocked at this kind of attitude towards him. Two years ago, he had known her to be a really nice friend, but now. . . now she was threatening to kill him. He had no idea what was going on. The best guess he had was that they had somehow brainwashed her. He decided to go along with it - it beat getting shot.   
  
"Okay, okay," he said calmly. "Geez, calm down. I won't do anything. But what is it you want from me?"   
  
"We want answers," the Ranft-like guy said in a gruff voice. "So, tell us. What's the code?"   
  
"Code? Answers? What are you talking about???" Randall asked in dismay.   
  
"I told you he wouldn't talk," a short, bent-over monster said.   
  
"Probably because I have no idea what you're talking about!" Randall stated firmly. "What's all this about a code?"   
  
The Ranft monster took out a rectangular device and pressed a few buttons. Suddenly, a net shot out and entangled him. It was a very odd type of rope, it had a yellowish glow, as if it was electricly charged. The Ranft monster picked up his net and smirked.   
  
"Oh, don't worry," he said in a sickly sweet voice. "We'll refresh your memory. . ."   
  
Randall struggled against the net and it gave him a slight electric charge, making him back off. The monsters laughed evilly as the purple lizard-monster growled at them helplessly.   
  
Leia sighed and put the handgun back in the holster in her belt, watching the monsters taunt him. Inside, Leia didn't want to do this. But what choice did she have? The advantage those thugs had over her was too much for one monster to handle alone.   
  
"Okay, okay," she interrupted, trying to hide her annoyance towards their behavior. "Let's just go, guys. You know how the 'boss' doesn't like to wait."   
  
They glanced at each other and shrugged. "Hey, we were just havin' fun," the short one said.   
  
"She's right," the Ranft monster agreed. "He told us to get Randall and come back. We'd better go."   
  
"You're gonna pay for this, you jerks!" Randall growled as they began to haul him out the window.   
  
"Yeah, sure," the monster replied.   
  
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Meanwhile, in Caylin's room, Midnight was laying peacefully at the end of the guest bed, snoring and kicking his foot. A sound made his ears subconsciously perk up and he opened his eyes. Alert and knowing something wasn't right, he raised his head and jumped down from the bed. He padded out into the short hallway, looking at Randall's partially open door.   
  
Midnight nudged the door open more with his nose and poked his head in curiously. He raised his nose into the air, smelling the unfamiliar scent of the monsters and Leia. He began to bark loudly. He yipped and yowled, running towards the open window and setting his paws on the sill.   
  
That dog probably woke up the whole neighborhood. He stopped barking only long enough to look out the window into the street below. He didn't see anything, but he sure smelled the tension that had been in the air during the capture.   
  
The fluppy knew no one was coming, so he began to crawl out the window in an attempt to go after the bad guys himself, even though the ground was about a hundred feet down the fire escape. The window suddenly slid closed on his little body and he became stuck. Half of him was inside the other half outside. Midnight wiggled and kicked his back legs, which were hanging up in the air, in an attempt the squeeze out. He yipped and let out a little whining noise, but finally he slipped back onto the carpet.   
  
Barking up a storm, the stubby-tailed little fluppy scampered back across the hall to the guest room again. He jumped up on the bed, howling like a maniac and licking Caylin's face. Caylin just groaned sleepily and pushed the fluppy away, turning over. Midnight slid onto the floor with a little thud and scrambled around the other side of the bed, his paws almsot moving faster than he could handle.   
  
He wasn't giving up. No, that fluppy was determined to get his attention no matter how long it took. He jumped up on the bed and began licking Caylin all over his face, totally covering him with slimy dog drool. Caylin finally woke up and shoved Midnight off of his chest, using his pajama sleeve to wipe off his face.   
  
"Eeewww, now that's just disgusting, man," he complained, sitting up in bed. "Okay, you got my attention now, you happy you little runt? I'm covered in slimy saliva and it's the middle of the night, but-"   
  
Midnight barked and began jumping up and down on the bed. "You woke me up at midnight to do aerobics?!?" Caylin asked in dismay.   
  
Midnight's ears lowered down again and he let out a little sigh, half-rolling his three eyes. He took Caylin's shirt collar in his teeth and began tugging and growling softly. "Okay, okay, okay," he muttered, slipping out of bed. "I'll follow you. You're turn to take me for a walk."   
  
Eagerly, Midnight ran towards the door, stopping to make sure Caylin was following. His tail was wagging enthusiastically. Finally, someone was coming to help! He ran back into Randall's room and over to the now partly opened window and howled, looking over his shoulder at Caylin.   
  
Caylin went inside and his eyes went wide upon seeing the messed-up bedsheets and open window. "Oh shittake mushrooms! What do you know? He was right about the crazed psyco-maniac!" he exclaimed, looking desperately under the bedsheets for any sign of where he went. "And now he's got Randall. . ."   
  
He looked back to Midnight and patted him on the head. "Good boy! You're such a smart fluppy," he said. "Now, where'd they go?"   
  
Midnight ran over to the window again and back, putting his paws on Caylin's leg and barking. It was as if he was saying 'out the window! go out the window!'.   
  
"Uh, yeah, I got that much," Caylin said. "But where exactly did he run off to?"   
  
Midnight sat down, looked up at him. . .and scratched behind his ear with his back foot. Caylin sighed. "Okay. . .this is bad. No, wait, this is worse than bad. Who knows what this guy's gonna do to Randall? I've read all the stories and they almost never end in 'happily ever after'."   
  
Caylin sat on the floor at the end of Randall's empty bed and sighed. He needed to get his buddy back and he'd need help. Caylin wasn't the brave hero type and he knew it, he'd rather run from danger than face it. At least, he wouldn't want to face it alone. Midnight whined sympathetically and rested his head on his owner's lap. He licked Caylin's hand and trotted off out the door.   
  
"And where do you think you're going?" Caylin asked, but he knew the dog wasn't listening. He sighed again. "Aw gee, what am I gonna do now?"   
  
Just then, Midnight trotted back inside the room with something in his mouth. It was the latest copy of 'Shriek Monthly'. Caylin took it out of his fluppy's mouth and quirked an eyebrow at him, before unrolling it. On the cover was a picture of Randall, Sulley and Mike. Just then, the light in Caylin's head flicked on and he ruffled up his dog's fur.   
  
"Of course!" Caylin exclaimed excitedly. "Sulley and Mike! You're a genius, you know that?"   
  
Midnight just yipped cheerfully in reply as Caylin jumped to his feet and ran out the door. His dog was quick to get up and tail him as he went out. 


	3. Cracking the Code

**Dangerous Secrets   
by Joy**   
  
NOTE: Demona has the really good idea of making a trailer for her story. So, I thought I'd make one for this story to give you an idea of where it's going. Keep a lookout for the new, 'Dangerous Secrets' trailer in one of the future chapters!   
  
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**Chapter Three - Cracking the Code**   
  
"I can explain," Mike began.   
  
He was standing in front of the company CEO's desk, awkwardly trying to explain why he hadn't done his paperwork for the past two weeks. Roz had sent him straight to the office, ignoring his usual excuses; like his son eating it. Sulley may have been his best pal, but there were only so many times he could get away with it. 'What a time to run out of excuses,' he thought to himself.   
  
Sulley sat back patiently in his chair, waiting for his friend to finish. "Go ahead," he said calmly.   
  
"Well, ya see, it happened like this. . ." Mike continued.   
  
Sulley interrupted. "Mike, please, just tell me the truth," he requested, smiling. "I'm not Roz."   
  
That familiar smile eased tensions and he clasped his hands behind his back. "Okay, okay, you got me," he said. "I swear, I'd usually get started on my paperwork and then -"   
  
He was cut off once again when Sulley's office door flung open. Caylin ran in, panting as if he had just run a marathon. Both monsters stopped to look at him. Sulley raised and eyebrow. He could tell something was up the moment the gecko-monster entered the room.   
  
"What's wrong?" Mike asked right off the bat.   
  
"Aren't you supposed to be at work, Caylin?" Sulley asked, glancing at his watch.   
  
Caylin nodded hurriedly. "Yeah, I know, I know," he replied, still trying to catch his breath. "But how can I work when my Scarer's missing??" He suddenly knew he was getting ahead of himself by the looks of cluelessness on their faces.   
  
Mike raised his hands. "Woah, woah, back it up a bit," he urged. "We don't all read minds, y'know."   
  
Sulley leaned forward in his chair and furrowed his brow at what Caylin was saying. "Wait, slow down. You mean Randall's missing? How?"   
  
Caylin took a deep breath. "Okay, well, it's like this. . .Randall got this really wierd call yesterday on his answering machine by some crazy maniac. I thought it was just a prank call but I should have listened because when my fluppy woke me up at midnight he was gone! You know, as in kidnapped!"   
  
"Yeah, we understand. We're not preschoolers, Caylin," Mike answered. "So, lemme get this straight. He got a call for some random monster and now you think this guy kidnapped Lizard Boy?"   
  
Caylin nodded.   
  
"That's gotta be the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard," Mike commented, folding his arms.   
  
"Mike, be reasonable here. You've heard of more ridiculous things. . .But why are you coming to us, Caylin? And so late in the day," Sulley asked. "It's almost closing time."   
  
"Duh. You guys are his friends! He's in trouble and I know for a fact I can't take care of this on my own," Caylin replied. "I also know I'm not that brave of a monster, so I kinda need reinforcement. Will ya help me?"   
  
Sulley rubbed his chin in thought and Mike glanced at him, wide-eyed. "Oh no, Sulley, you're not thinking. .?"   
  
"Yeah, I'm thinking it," Sulley replied. "Randall saved us once before and now it's time to return the favor."   
  
"Well, true. . .but right now? Sul, you're the CEO! You can't just walk out just because you feel like it," Mike reasoned. "You've got a company to run! What will the Board of Directors think?"   
  
Caylin waved it off. "Forget about them, this is Ran-dall we're talking about here, hello. They can gripe all they want, but his life could be in danger!"   
  
Sulley stood up out of his chair. "Hey, calm down guys," he said evenly. "Like I mentioned before, it's almost closing time. I'll finish up and we'll be out there in a few minutes. Mike, get your paperwork done."   
  
"But Sul. . ." Mike began, but then he stopped, sighing. "Okay, see you outside as soon as I'm finished."   
  
With that, he dragged himself out the door to do the one thing he hated most: his paperwork. As soon as he disappeared around the corner, Sulley straightened a stack of papers on his desk and headed out towards the Laughfloors for his last check-up of the day. Caylin followed, shutting the door behind them.   
  
*******************************************************************************   
  
Randall shuffled around on the floor in the back of the monsters' van. He was thoroughly entangled in the electrical net and that made it hard to do anything. He also had no idea how long they had been travelling and where, though he suspected his kidnappers wanted it that way. The setting sun shined through the side window of the van, leaving a streak of orange light across the floor. It was only a small indication of the time of day.   
  
His kidnappers kept quiet the whole way, making Randall wonder what exactly they wanted from him. Did they kidnap him just for one thing only? That so-called 'code' of theirs? Or was it something more. . .   
  
The van made a sharp turn and Randall slid on the floor to the right, softly hitting the side door. He then felt the van slow to a stop and a couple of the monsters got out along with Leia. The Ranft-monster picked Randall's net up and dragged him out the door. He looked through the mesh out at the scenery, trying to decipher where he was.   
  
All he saw was a large piece of forest out in the middle of nowhere. Trees surrounded the clearing where they were parked and there was a bit of old barbed-wire fence off to the north. But otherwise, there was no clue indicating where they had taken him.   
  
Randall stayed silent as the Ranft-monster carried him off further into the forest with the other monsters. They climbed up an incline in the terrain to find a fairly small, high-tech-looking building. It was built with alot of sharp, sleek angles with only a single door in the front.   
  
The kidnappers pressed a code into the keypad by the door and it slid open, revealing nothing but a large elevator. All of them stepped inside and the elevator doors slid closed. They then started slowly decending underground, soon hitting bottom with a smooth stop.   
  
Immediately, the doors parted again to reveal a main lobby, very angular in appearance but sort of similar in composition to the lobby at Monsters Inc. There were no windows, just artificial light that they used to illuminate the place. Everything was painted in shades of black, silver, and navy, giving it a very dark atmosphere. Even the receptionist looked uninviting.   
  
The Ranft-monster passed by the receptionist's desk. "Mission complete, Chanti," he said to her. "Tell the BGB President we'll be waiting for him in the Extraction Room."   
  
"Will do, Hunter," she replied without looking up from the book she was reading.   
  
They continued on down a dimly lit hallway. "Extraction Room?! What persay is that?" Randall couldn't help but ask.   
  
"It's where you're going buddy," the short, bent-over monster replied with a kooky laugh.   
  
"That's no concern of yours," Hunter replied calmly, not looking at him.   
  
Randall glared at him. "No concern of mine?? NO concern of mine? You're about to take me there and try some crazy experiment or something on me! Of course it's my concern!" he exclaimed angrilly.   
  
"Well I say it isn't," Hunter replied sternly. "Besides. . .you'll find out soon enough."   
  
That comment was followed by a sinister chuckle, the other kidnappers joined in - all but Leia, who lagged behind the group a bit. She seemed to be doing her best to stay out of all this. A look of resentment was on her face as they brang Randall to a door, labelled 'Extraction Lab, Authorized Personel Only'. Randall gulped at reading those five words. His mind raced. He knew he had to find a way out - soon.   
  
They opened the door and walked in. The main focus of the dimly lit room was the giant computer consule at the opposite end of the room, wires and instruments extended from it, some hanging suspended from the ceiling. Hunter dropped Randall on the steel floor in the middle of the room and typed something into the large computer keyboard. A rectangle of the floor rose up underneath Randall and the net simutaneously melted off of him.   
  
This was his chance. Randall vanished, but just as quickly, straps bound his eight arms and legs against his body, pulling him down to lay on the table. He appeared again, shocked at how fast things were happening. He hardly even had time to think before he found himself bound again. Though he struggled, he found he could hardly budge under the tight grip of the straps against his body. These guys abviously weren't taking any chances of him escaping. . .   
  
Hunter turned around to look at the now-helpless lizard-monster, a smile on his face. "We'll give you one last chance to tell us that code," he said. "You've got five seconds."   
  
"Look, I really have no idea what you're getting at," Randall replied. "If I've told you once, I've told you a million times - I don't know!"   
  
Hunter shook his head, glancing at his collegues. They had looks of eagerness on their faces as they stood by the keyboard. He looked at Randall again. "Oh that's too bad. Looks like we're gonna have to get it the hard way. . ." he said, turning his attention back to the other monsters. "We wait for Bruton to arrive then we start."   
  
"You guys are so thick-headed," Randall commented. "What do I have to do to prove it to you that I have no idea what you're jabbering about?"   
  
"Oh, we know for a fact that you have the code somewhere in that mind of yours," Hunter said, folding his arms. "You're not fooling us. It's just a matter of persuasion to get the information WE need out of YOU."   
  
"Just leave him alone guys," Leia spoke up.   
  
A round of 'ooohs' went around as they looked at her. "Whassa matta, is the wittle girlie starting to fall in. . *sniff*. . looove?" a round, ugly monster with tentacles teased. "Forget about it, Kawaii. This guy has other purposes. You can probably ask your daddy to find you a PROPER BGB boyfriend."   
  
Leia folded her arms. "My father doesn't know anything about me. And that's that. And another thing-!"   
  
Just then, the President of the BGB - Bruton Kilroy - came into the room and everyone quieted. He was a big, heavy-built, dark green ankylosaur-monster with a nasty glare and a spiked tail. His yellow-orange eyes looked around the room until he spotted Randall. Bruton approached the table and looked him up and down.   
  
"He looks just like him," Bruton muttered, as if a familiar realization hit. Randall's eyes widened as he recognised the monster's voice. It was the same dark, foreboding voice he had heard on his answering machine!   
  
Bruton turned to Hunter, his brow set. "He's gotta be the one. Set up the machine and get it running immediately," he ordered.   
  
"Right away, sir," Hunter replied, getting to work preparing.   
  
Bruton turned around again, looking at Randall and a malicious grin formed on his face. "I'll have my revenge on Rayford yet," he muttered to himself. "And this kid'll help me do it. . ." He looked at his incompetent employees and glared at them fiercely. "What's taking so long you idiots?! I don't have all day you know!"   
  
The monsters quickened their pace and Hunter brang, what looked like, a metal helmet with different colored wires sticking out of it everywhere. He put it on Randall's head, much to his disapproval. He couldn't do much more than move his head around to avoid having the contraption put on his head. But eventually, Hunter had it strapped on securely and then went back to the computer consule.   
  
Randall growled. "What is this. . .monstrosity?!" he demanded, frustrated that he couldn't figure so many things out on his own.   
  
"The Brain Drain 3000," Hunter explained. "The latest technology for sucking information out of one's brain - whether they like it or not."   
  
"But don't you worry your little head over it," the round monster reassured him. "It won't hurt." The small, bent-over monster laughed insanely.   
  
"WHAT?!" Randall exclaimed in dismay, struggling in vain against his restraints.   
  
Bruton went over to the consule and typed in the command to start the machine and a countdown appeared on the giant computer screen. 'Please Wait. . .Counting down to activation time,' popped up onto the screen. Bruton smirked and rubbed his hands together eagerly. Panicked, Randall tried one last time to break free, but it was of no avail.   
  
"Ten. . .Nine. ." the computerized voice said.   
  
Leia was watching from a stool near the wall, trying to decide on what to do. The monsters were too concentrated on the computer screen to notice her, so she snuck out the door into the hallway. A phone was hanging on the wall nearby, just as she had thought. She cleared her throat and picked it up, imitating the receptionist's voice.   
  
"There is an urgent emergency near Section 12, all employees in the area are to report to office immediately," she announced. The voice being broadcasted over a speaker in the Extraction Room. "And, Mr. President, we need your assistance right now."   
  
Bruton looked up from the screen at the overhead speaker and growled under his breath. "Program it to 'auto' and do as Chanti says," he ordered gruffly, abviously not happy about being called away on such short notice.   
  
"Three. . .Two. . ." the computer continued.   
  
Leia hid behind the door as they rushed out into the hallway and quickly ran inside to find Randall giving her a look of exasperation. "Leia, please," he asked, not caring what she had done to him earlier. "Shut the thing off." Just as she made it over to the plug, the computer finished, turning the BD 3000 on with a revved-up noise.   
  
Randall suddenly found that his mind was going blank and he closed his eyes. Even when he tried to bring up something to say, he couldn't open his mouth to say it, no matter how hard he tried. Thoughts were flying out of his mind like startled birds out of a bush, so he just lay helplessly on the table as all his thoughts began to fill up the giant screen. Leia quickly pulled the plug and ran over to his side, unstrapping the helmet from his head and dropping it on the ground.   
  
"Darn it," she muttered, pressing the button to unstrap him. "Randall, are you okay?"   
  
"Uhhh. . .Cookies? Who could eat cookies at a time like this?" he said groggily, his thoughts slowly coming back to him.   
  
Leia sighed with relief. "At least your brain still works," she said, gently helping him sit up. "However mixed up it may be."   
  
When Randall finally regained and reorganized his thoughts, he hopped down from the table onto all four feet. "I've gotta get out of here," he concluded immediately, as he again realized where he was. He began to head for the door.   
  
Leia watched him for a moment, as if considering the consequenses of leaving with the 'enemy'. But her mind was well made up. All she could think of right now was how much she wanted to get out of the place. Leia wasn't about to spend another moment here. She touched Randall's shoulder and he took a quick, slightly-annoyed glance back at her.   
  
"What?" he asked, his voice laden with hostility.   
  
"I'm coming with you," she said. "Look, it's a long story, but you've gotta understand that the last thing I wanted to do was work here. I'm sorry I threatened you like I did last night."   
  
Randall stared at her for a moment, as if trying to figure out if she really meant it, but he finally nodded. "Okay," he said. "But you've gotta keep up."   
  
"Oh, believe me, after working here for a year, I think I can handle it," she replied confidently. "Now, let's just get out of here while we still have time."   
  
Both of them headed out into the hallway, but what they didn't notice was the computer screen behind them. The auxillary power had kicked in and a distinctive code flashed in red amongst the lines of downloaded data. . .   
  
Once they got out into the hallway, sirens began to wail and red lights flashed above them. Hunter ran out of a hallway not far from where Randall and Leia were standing, along with Bruton and the other two monsters. Immediately, they spotted the two standing only a few meters away. Leia looked over her shoulder and her eyes widened, grabbing Randall's hand and pulling him down the hall after her.   
  
"Hey - what are you doing?" he asked, but his question was soon answered in the form of Bruton's gruff order.   
  
"Get them!" he yelled to the monsters with him. "Stupid girl. I told her father she'd turn on us one of these days. . ."   
  
Randall began to pick up the pace on his own once he realised they were seen and Leia relesed her grip on his hand, running alongside each other. Randall glanced at her.   
  
"Is this the way to the main lobby?" he asked, as it occured to him they'd need to make a quick exit.   
  
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure," she replied. "Or I wouldn't be dragging you this way, now would I?" She grinned at him and made a sharp turn towards the lobby entranceway.   
  
Chanti, the receptionist, saw them run past towards the elevator and quickly dropped her book on the desk. She picked up the phone and began to speak an announcement over the loudspeakers throughout the building.   
  
"Attention agents, the escapee is in the main lobby," she reported. "Everyone shut down energy operations - now!"   
  
"Oh great," Leia muttered.   
  
"What?" Randall asked.   
  
"That means they're gonna shut down our only means of escape," she answered, just as they reached the elevator. "We'd better step on it."   
  
Just then, Hunter and his crew emerged into the lobby, they yelled something and pointed at the two escapees. Leia hit the 'Up' button and jumped through the barely open elevator doors. They began to close and she helped Randall inside just before the doors shut again and the elevator began to move upwards. Randall breathed a sigh of relief.   
  
"Geez, talk about close," he said, catching his breath. "Where are we? Y'know, in relation to Monstropolis?"   
  
"We're just outside the town of Rawrly," she replied. "A good fifty miles from Monstropolis."   
  
"Really?" he asked. "Well, that's just peachy. . ."   
  
"Don't worry, we can probably catch the bus or something once we get out of this forest," Leia suggested. "But I'll tell you one thing. . ." She said as both stepped out of the elevator and onto the crude dirt path outside.   
  
"What?"   
  
"We'd better run for it."   
  
Just then, a jeep pulled out of the back of the small, square building, turning towards them. Randall exchanged glances with her before both turned tail and ran into the denser part of the forest. . . 


	4. Too Many Questions

**Dangerous Secrets   
by Joy**   
  
NOTE: My next fic is probably going to be some kind of crossover. ^_^ I can't choose yet, but here are my favorite ideas. . .

  
  
1) Lilo & Stitch/Monsters Inc (ooh, aloha!)   
2) Mighty Ducks: The Animated Series/Monsters Inc (yup, hockey-playin', crime-fightin' anthro-ducks from another dimension)   
3) Jurassic Park III/Monsters Inc (brachios, raptors, and spinosaurs, oh my!)   
4) Treasure Planet/Monsters Inc (as soon as I see it, I might get some ideas. It looks like an awesome movie.) 

  
  
*****************************************************************

  
  
**Chapter Four - Too Many Questions**   
  
"Man, I can't believe we didn't find ANYTHING. . ." Caylin grumbled.   
  
He walked into Sulley and Mike's new apartment slowly, Midnight at his heels as he came through the door. Their new place was about twice as large as their old one. Since Sulley had become the company CEO, he had gotten a large enough paycheck to get a place that was big enough for him, Mike, Ceila, and even Mitchell.   
  
Surprisingly, it was pretty tidy. Some evidence was that Mike's CDs were stacked neatly on a shelf by his stereo and all of Mitchell's toys were packed neatly in his toybox by the television set. Having Ceila around made everything easier. She was always more than happy to organize and keep things in order, after all, didn't she do it everyday anyways?   
  
Sulley patted his friend's shoulder as he set his large jacket on a coat rack. "We tried our best, Caylin," he said.   
  
Mike nodded, taking off his mittens. "Yeah," he agreed. "We even used Midnight, so that's gotta count as extra credit, buddy. Even though I still think ya need to teach him a thing or two on tracking scent. . ."   
  
"Well, so what if he found two alley cats and a smelly old shoe? I never thought I'd need to use him for things like this. . .especially not so soon," Caylin replied with a sigh, hanging up his red coat and ski cap.   
  
Midnight rubbed his head against Caylin's leg sympathetically and padded over to a colorful, oval rug in the middle of the living room and sat on it in front of the fireplace. Mike grinned and took a few steps before announcing his arrival.   
  
"Oh, Mitchell, Ceilaa, I'm ho-ome!" he called.   
  
Immediately, Mitchell ran out the kitchen with a candy bar and jumped up into his daddy's arms, his mouth covered in chocolate. "Daddy!" he squealed, snakes hissing excitedly. "Mommy reordanised your CDs 'n I helpted!" He looked proud of himself.   
  
Mike chuckled, taking a glance over at his stacks of music CDs. Yup, they were organized alright. He smiled at Mitchell. "Very good, thanks for helping me out," he said. "You can play charades with me, Sulley and Uncle Caylin pretty soon. How 'bout it?"   
  
"Yay!" Mitchell cheered, jumping down and running to the kitchen again to wipe all the chocolate off.   
  
Ceila stepped out of the kitchen and stepped out of the way as Mitchell ran past, a smile on her face. "Hello Googley Bear! Sulley-Wulley, Caylee-Waylee," she cooed. "What took you so long? I was starting to worry, you know."   
  
"Oh, well, Schmoopsy Poo. .We -"   
  
". . .Went to look for Randall," Sulley continued. "He's been kidnapped."   
  
"Oh, that's terrible," Ceila said. "Any luck?"   
  
"Nope," Caylin said flatly. "Not even a single color-changing scale."   
  
Ceila shook her head slowly and Mike walked over to her. She smiled brightly and leaned down, kissing his forehead. "Should I bring you boys some food? It's already past seven," she offered.   
  
Mike smiled back and shook his head. "Naw," he replied. "Me and the 'search party' got hungry and stopped by Pat's Pizza. Thanks though, Schmoopsy Poo."   
  
"You're very welcome, Googley Bear," she answered, straightening up and heading back into the kitchen.   
  
Mitchell stood in the doorway and stuck out his tongue. "Yichh!" he said openly. "Mommy and daddy kissed! And dey're saying those funny names again. . ."   
  
Sulley chuckled. "At least they don't have 'cooties'," he replied.   
  
"Dats what you tink," Mitchell answered. "Mommy's gots lots of dem."   
  
Ceila laughed and took his hand, leading him back into the kitchen. He still had alot of chocolate around his mouth. "Let's get you properly cleaned up shall we?" she suggested. "Michael, could you help me a minute?"   
  
"Sure Ceila," he replied, following her though the doorway.   
  
Caylin plopped down onto the large, furry blue couch and sat back, Midnight jumping up and laying down on his lap. He stroked the fluppy's head, thinking of something else they could possibly do to get his buddy back. He and Randall had been best friends ever since high school and, though both were virtual opposites, they unexpectedly became best friends. He cared deeply about Randall as if they had been brothers. So, he wasn't about to forget about him just because their little search ended on a sour note.   
  
Sulley hung up his hat and turned around, heading for his new, purple easy chair. He spotted Caylin, stroking his pet with a sorrowful look on his face and, immediately, he could tell what his friend was thinking about. Sulley took pity on him and went over to him.   
  
"Hey, Caylin," Sulley said softly.   
  
Caylin snapped out of his thoughts and looked up at him, forcing a half-grin. "Hi."   
  
"You're worried about Randall aren't you?" Sulley asked.   
  
Caylin simply nodded. "I sure hope he's okay."   
  
Sulley putting a hand on Caylin's shoulder. "I understand. I'm starting to worry too, but we tried our best," he said. "The next best thing we can do is report it to the CDA and let them investigate."   
  
Caylin nodded again in understanding, his sadness starting to float away like a balloon. "Okay, I guess we're gonna have to."   
  
Sulley grinned. "Yeah, we'll get him back, don't worry," he reassured him.   
  
Just then, Mike walked back into the room, Mitchell at his heels. "So, who's up for charades?" he asked, rubbing his hands together.   
  
Everyone - Sulley, Mitchell, and Caylin included - raised their hands eagerly. Mike grinned and brought a hat full of papers in it over to the group, holding it up high. He urged everyone to take a paper and, once each had a strip, he set the hat back on the table. Mike explained the rules and assigned Caylin to go first.   
  
Caylin nodded. "Okay, try and get this one. . ." he said.   
  
Caylin held up two fingers and Mike spoke up. "Okay, two words."   
  
Caylin cranked his fist in a circle by his head and Mike again guessed correctly. "A movie! Okay."   
  
The gecko-monster nodded and ran over to Mitchell's toybox, opening it and pointing to the stuff inside. Mike and Sulley blinked cluelessly. Caylin closed the top again and pretended to start digging with a shovel.   
  
"Uh, digging?" Mike suggested. Caylin shook his head and pointed to the chest full of toys again, then started digging some more.   
  
"Uh, the Underground Toys?" Mike tried again. "Journey to the Center of the Earth? Digging Holes in Five Easy Steps?"   
  
Caylin sighed and shook his head again, crawling over to the rug in the middle of the room and drawing an imaginary 'X' with his finger, pointing to it.   
  
"Oh! I know, I know! When Rugs Attack!" Mike exclaimed. Caylin sighed and hung his head.   
  
Sulley rubbed his chin. "No, actually Mikey, I think he's doing the word 'treasure'. Right?"   
  
Caylin immediately looked up and nodded enthusiastically, moving on to the next word. He dug through Mitchell's toybox and picked out a little broken mobile of the solar system. He pointed to Jupiter.   
  
"Digging for Treasure on Jupiter?" Mike asked. He got a 'no'.   
  
Caylin frowned and pointed to Jupiter again. "Rocks Are Treasures on Jupiter?" he tried again.   
  
Caylin sighed in frustration and Sulley leaned forward in his chair, seemingly in thought. "Treasure Planet!" he concluded.   
  
Caylin nodded with a big grin. "Finally!" he said, glancing at Mike. "Er, by the way, it might be useful for you to know that there aren't any rocks on Jupiter."   
  
"I. . .knew that. . ." Mike began, then looked at Sulley. "Okay, your turn Big Guy!"   
  
Sulley was just about to start when a knock came from the door. "Can you get that?" Ceila called from the kitchen.   
  
"I can mommy!" Mitchell offered eagerly, jumping up from his little chair and running at full speed towards the door.   
  
Mike wasn't able to catch the fast little boy and Mitchell reached the door before anyone could stop him. He turned the knob and opened the door. Outside stood Randall and Leia, looking miserable and shivering. Both were clearly so cold that they had faded in color. Mitchell turned around.   
  
"Daddy, Uncuu Wandall and a strange lady are here," he announced.   
  
Caylin suddenly perked up and jumped off the couch, running for the door. Sulley and Mike followed behind him. Caylin looked them up and down and noticed their pale colors. "What happened to you guys??"   
  
"C-c-can't w-we j-j-ust c-come i-inside?" Randall asked.   
  
Sulley ushered Mitchell out of the way and both lizard-monsters walked inside. Leia wrapped her arms around herself and looked around. Recognising the faces of her friends again, she attempted to smile, even though she was feeling extremely tired and cold.   
  
"Thanks g-g-guys," she said.   
  
"Leia? Whaddya know," Caylin said. "Where'd Randall pick you up from?"   
  
"I-it's kind of a-a l-long st-story," she replied.   
  
After Sulley sat Mitchell back down in his chair, he turned to Mike. "Mike, please bring some warm blankets in for them," he directed.   
  
Mike nodded and ran into his and Ceila's bedroom. Sulley placed a hand on Randall and Leia's backs gently and ushered them to sit by the fireplace. He could feel the coldness of their shivering bodies, it felt like touching ice. How long had they been out there? Where had they been? He knew his questions wouldn't get answered now. Since they were cold-blooded, he knew they had to get to the warmth as soon as possible.   
  
Randall and Leia sat on the rug in front of the crackling fireplace and both seemed to relax at the warmth radiating from it. Mike then came over and handed them each a blanket. Leia wrapped it around herself and pulled it over her shoulders, closing her eyes with contentment to finally be feeling warmth again. Randall did the same.   
  
"So, who was it?" Ceila asked, sticking her head out the kitchen door and spotting their two guests. "Oh, I see. Goodness, they look exhausted! Should I bring them some hot chocolate?"   
  
Leia looked over her shoulder and nodded. "That would be nice, thank you," she replied.   
  
"Yeah, I'd like some too, if ya don't mind," Randall added.   
  
Ceila gave them a quick nod and went into the kitchen again. Mitchell skipped into the kitchen too. "I wanna help Wandall and the strange lady too," he said, just before disappearing into the kitchen.   
  
Leia laughed and glanced into the dancing flames in front of her. "Maybe I should have introduced myself?" she suggested, glancing over at Sulley. "But gosh, I haven't seen you guys for so long. . ."   
  
"Hey, I tried calling ya more than once but it never got answered," Randall said with slight aggitation in his voice.   
  
Leia glanced a him. "When?"   
  
"Earlier this year."   
  
"Oh, I see. . .You have to understand, the reason I never got back to you was my father," Leia explained. "He's working for that guy that kidnapped you. You see, I was right in the middle of my tour late last year when he came to see me. He insisted what I was doing was nonsense and forced me to participate in a 'real job'. That meant working there for a year. I virtually had no choice, the whole organization was on his side, which was bad for me. So, without letting me take anything or even announce anything, I was enrolled into his job. He had me training and all of that stuff. But, believe me, I never even knew you had called. I did want to contact you guys, though. It was just kind of. . .difficult."   
  
"Hey, wait a second, you seem to be getting way ahead of us here. Either that or I keep missing something," Mike said, once she had finished. "What job? Who's the kidnapper? And who in Monstropolis is your father?"   
  
Leia quirked a brow. "That's alot of questions," she said, finally chuckling. "But I suppose now that I've spilled the beans, I might as well keep going."   
  
"Yeah, well, I'm not the only one who wants to know this stuff, I'm sure," he added. "We've been searching for that guy all evening." He jerked a thumb in Randall's direction as he spoke.   
  
So, Leia and Randall bounced opinions back and forth, explaining to them the whole story of what had happened. Just as they had finished, their conversation was interrupted when Mitchell came out of the kitchen. He was walking slowly and methodically as he held a mug filled with steaming hot chocolate. He had his eye on the mug, trying his best not to spill a drop. Ceila came in behind him with the other mug.   
  
Mitchell finally reached Leia and held out the mug a tad too quickly. It sloshed onto his hand and he dropped it in her lap and all over the front of her. "Owww!" he squeaked.   
  
Leia jerked back in surprise, the hot liquid staining her shirt and pants. "Ah! Hot!" she exclaimed.   
  
Mitchell blinked bashfully. "Oops."   
  
"Mitchell," Ceila began to scold, handing her mug to Randall. "You should be more careful. ."   
  
Leia held up a hand to stop her. "No, it's okay," she interrupted. "It was only an accident, after all."   
  
Ceila nodded. "Should I get you another cup?" she offered.   
  
"No, that's fine. I think the hot chocolate warmed me up enough," she smiled.   
  
Randall laughed. "Looks like ya might need a change of clothes though," he suggested. "Unless you girls consider brown stains 'in' this season."   
  
Leia laughed and punched him lightly in the shoulder. "Very funny."   
  
"Yeah, it must be. You're laughing aren't ya?" Randall cleverly replied, a teasing smirk on his face.   
  
He got her there. She smiled at him and stood up, taking the stained blanket off from around her. She handed it to Ceila and took a glance down at her brown-stained clothes.   
  
"You wouldn't happen to have anything I could wear would you?" she asked her. "You know, just for the night."   
  
Ceila nodded. "I think so. Follow me," she replied, looking back to Mike. "Googley Bear, why don't you get Mitchell to bed while I help. .uh. . ."   
  
"Leia," she finished for her.   
  
"Yes, Leia," Ceila corrected, leading her into their bedroom.   
  
"Sure thing Schmoopsy Poo," Mike replied, hopping up from his seat and beginning to usher Mitchell to his bedroom.   
  
"Aw, but I dun wanna go to bed," Mitchell complained, yawning. "I'm not tired."   
  
Mike chuckled. "Okay, I'll help ya," he said, picking up the monster child and carrying him into his room.   
  
"Noooooo!" Mitchell complained with a bit of a giggle as he was carried into his bedroom.   
  
Sulley watched them and chuckled, glancing at Randall, who was now his regular color again. "You, Caylin, and Leia get the couch and the chairs - unless you consider the rug more comfortable. I'll leave you three to squabble over who gets what," he said, chuckling.   
  
Randall smirked. "Yeah, thanks," he replied, laying on his stomach on the soft, shaggy rug.   
  
"I get first dibs on Sulley's chair!" Caylin said, curling up on it with his fluppy. Midnight panted happily in his owner's grip, glad to be allowed to sleep on the furnature.   
  
"Night," Sulley said. He shut off the living room light and disappearing into his room, the fireplace still crackling and radiating it's warmth.   
  
"Yeah, you can have Furball's chair," Randall replied to Caylin. "But the rug's mine."   
  
"Fine by me, dude," Caylin said, closing his eyes and lounging in the oversized chair. "It works for Midnight, so why not you, eh?"   
  
"Hey, the dog's got a point," Randall answered. "It's rather comfortable."   
  
Caylin chuckled, inwardly he was very glad to know his buddy was safe. He subconsciously stroked his fluppy from his white-spotted head down to his back, now content that he could do some brotherly teasing again. It made him feel like everything was going back to normal again.   
  
Leia then came into the room, now with a fresh change of clothes. She walked into the living room, the fire casting a soft glow that danced across everything that was near it. "So, I suppose the couch is mine, huh?" she asked.   
  
Randall nodded. It seemed that Caylin was already fast asleep, so he didn't give his input.   
  
"Works for me," she replied, plopping down onto the couch and adjusting one of the pillows under her head.   
  
Randall stared into the fireplace. Thoughts and questions were still flying through his head. Leia might be the only one who could answer them. He glanced at her.   
  
"Hey, Leia?" he began.   
  
"Mm hm?" she replied, turning over to look at him.   
  
"I know this sounds idiotic, but what in the heck does BGB stand for?" he asked.   
  
She grinned. "Naw, it's not idiotic. BGB stands for 'Bad Guy Bureau'," she explained willingly. "That guy who wanted to kidnap you founded it and put it together."   
  
"Interesting. . .I've never heard of it. So, your dad works there?" he continued.   
  
She nodded sadly. "Yeah. His name's Striker. He's head of the weapons department there. He's always been wanting me to join but. . .you know. I always got away with doing my own thing until now. Don't ask me why he chose the time he did to make me join."   
  
Randall pursed his lips and nodded, thinking. "So, do you have any idea why they wanted me?"   
  
Leia slipped her arm under her pillow and shrugged her shoulders. "I'm sorry. I'm afraid I don't know any more than you do," she answered.   
  
He propped his head on his hands and suddenly a thought occured to him. He quickly looked back to Leia. "Do you know who Rayford is?"   
  
Leia broke away from his eye contact for a moment, trying to recall something, but she just looked back at him and shook her head. "Why?"   
  
"I heard that monster. . Bruton. . say something about using me for revenge against this guy," he explained. "And the wierd thing is that this guy's name seems, y'know, familiar somehow. It's driving me crazy. . .I can't figure it out."   
  
"It does?" she asked with interest. "All I've heard about Rayford is that Bruton hates him beyond reason. Nobody's ever bothered to tell me why. In fact, it seems that they never bother to tell me anything. So, I suppose I wouldn't be very helpful in that case."   
  
Randall nodded and sighed, laying down on the rug. "Yeah, thanks anyways."   
  
Leia sighed too, looking at how disappointed he was at not getting any answers. She knew she didn't have any useful information for him, but she felt like she needed to something more. She watched the light of the flames dance across his frustrated expression and cleared her throat.   
  
"Randall?" she said softly.   
  
Randall didn't look away from the fireplace. "Yeah?"   
  
"I might be able to find out what you want to know," she offered.   
  
That seemed to grab his attention, because he looked at her again with interest. "You can?"   
  
"Yes, if you still work at Monsters Inc, I can hack into the BGB database from one of the computers there," she explained. "Then we can find all the classified information you could ever want to know."   
  
A smile formed on his face. "Yeah, I'm sure I can arrange that. . ."   
  
"Great, we'll look into it tomorrow, then," Leia agreed. "Good night."   
  
"Sure," Randall replied, pulling the blanket over his shoulder and closing his eyes. "Night."   
  
Soon both drifted off into a deep, exhausted sleep as the events of the day began to take its toll. 


	5. On the Run

**Dangerous Secrets   
by Joy**   
  
NOTE: Thanks to everyone who's been reviewing. I really appreciate having input from such loyal fiction fans as you guys! So, I bet you're wondering, who's this Rayford guy? What is all this code business about? And is the code the only thing the BGB wants from Randall? I promise ya, things will start getting even more exciting and questions will begin to get answered soon. Enjoy!   
  
By the way, if you're interested in the DS trailer, check it out at **http://geocities.com/randallboggs02/DS_Trailer.html**.   
  
****************************************************************

  
  
**Chapter Five - On the Run**   
  
"Hellooo, earth to Lizard Boy!"   
  
Randall closed his eyes tightly at the sound of Mike's voice. He didn't want to get up yet. After a night like last night, he had a good reason to want to sleep in.   
  
"C'mon, get up," Mike insisted, snatching the blanket off of him.   
  
Randall clenched his teeth and opened one of his eyes to see Mike looking down at him impatiently. He opened the other eye and growled softly, getting up from the floor. The sun shone brightly through the window, making him squint.   
  
"I don't believe I left a memo notifying you to wake me up. . ." he muttered grumpily.   
  
"Well, just count yourself lucky that I didn't decide to use the foghorn," Mike reminded him. "Besides, me and Sulley couldn't just leave ya here while we got breakfast."   
  
Randall ran a hand through his awkwardly leaning fronds to straighten them and sighed. "Why not?" he asked stubbornly.   
  
"Cuz we don't trust you near the stove," Mike said simply.   
  
"Har har har," Randall replied. "That was so funny I forgot to laugh."   
  
"Really? You know how to laugh?" Mike asked in wonder. "Now I've seen everything."   
  
Randall rolled his eyes. "Hey, I've had a rough couple of days, okay?" he sighed. "You'd be a grouch too if you just went through what I did."   
  
Mike pursed his lips, taking Leia's blanket off the couch, and shrugged. "Well," he said in a less sarcastic tone. "Just get ready to leave. We're gonna pick up some breakfast."   
  
"Fine, it shouldn't take me more than five minutes," he said, heading for the bathroom.   
  
Leia, Caylin, and Sulley came out of the kitchen, just passing Randall. Leia stopped. "Morning Randall," she greeted. "Sleep well?"   
  
"Yeah, no rug bugs?" Caylin joked.   
  
"Yeah, that was until Wazowski woke me up," Randall replied. "But, hey, I'll live. . . And no Cay, I didn't see any 'rug bugs' yet. But if you happen to spot one, feel free to let me know." He smirked and disappeared into the bathroom.   
  
Caylin chuckled and went over to his napping fluppy on the rug. "Midnight? You ready for some breakfast?"   
  
One of his white ears perked up at the sound of Caylin's voice and his eyes opened, his head raising to look at him. He panted happily and barked his approval, jumping to his feet and scampering over to his owner. He spotted Leia and bypassed Caylin to sniff her. She laughed and patted his head. Midnight was beginning to like this girl already, at least she was getting the idea. He liked head pats more than anything. The fluppy licked her hand enthusiastically.   
  
Leia smiled at Caylin. "I didn't know you had a dalmation fluppy," she said. "He's adorable."   
  
"Yeah, and I think he knows it," Caylin replied. "He uses it to his advantage."   
  
Sulley chuckled, watching the fluppy run around like a hyper furball. Midnight then ran full speed towards Mike as he came out of the bedroom. Mike's eye widened and held out his hands to signal the dog to stop.   
  
"No, no, bad fluppy! Don't-"   
  
_*WHAM* *THUMP*_   
  
Midnight had tackled him to the ground and was now covering him in a slimy layer of doggy drool much to his disgust. The fluppy crawled all over him licking him here and there as Mike attempted to push him away. "Help! Get this drool-monger off me! I feel like I'm melting!" he called.   
  
The three burst out laughing as Caylin scrambled to get his overly-eager pet off of Mike. "Heh, sorry Mike. He likes you," he replied. "Either that or you taste like sausage. . ."   
  
"Sausage? I can guarantee you, I don't taste like sausage," Mike replied, wiping the saliva off with his arm, but then stopping when he noticed that it just made his arm wet instead.   
  
Randall's laugh came from behind as he offered Mike a towel. "It's times like this I wish I had a camera on hand," he commented, an amused expression on his face.   
  
"Yeah, I know, my face is made for Christmas cards," Mike replied proudly.   
  
"Especially when it's covered in fluppy drool," Caylin added with a laugh. Mike gave him a look as the others laughed.   
  
Sulley now had his coat on and he turned to the others, who were also putting their winter gear on. "Ready to leave?" he asked.   
  
Leia put on a royal purple coat with a fuzzy collar that she had borrowed from Ceila and glanced at the others. "I'm ready to go when you guys are," she said.   
  
Randall nodded. "Me too," he put in.   
  
"Luckily, I forgot about bringing Randall's coat back to his apartment," Caylin said, holding a cooperative Midnight in his arms.   
  
Sulley ushered the group out the door of their apartment and closed the door as they made their way down the stairs to the sidewalk outside. It had a light dusting of snow, indicating that it had been stormy out last night.   
  
Mike took the tarp off his car and stuffed it under his seat. He then went to the driver's seat of his trusty red car and waited for everyone to file in. As Caylin sat down with Midnight on his lap, Mike looked behind his seat at him.   
  
"Just don't let that fluppy shed all over the upholstery," he said. "I just vaccumed it out yesterday."   
  
Caylin chuckled. "Sure, but I can't guarantee it," he replied.   
  
"Okay, good," Mike answered, turning around in his seat again and putting his hands on the steering wheel.   
  
Leia sat down between Caylin and Randall as Sulley took the front passenger's seat. Mike then, seeing that everyone was seated, hit the accelerator and they sped into traffic. Midnight's ears perked up at the familiar feeling of the wind in his face and excitedly placed his paws on the door, sticking his head out the side. He let his tongue hang out of his mouth with an expression of pleasure as they slowly began picking up speed.   
  
"So, where are we going?" Leia asked, leaning forward in her seat.   
  
"Slimy's Diner," Sulley answered. "It's our favorite place. I'm sure you guys'll like it too."   
  
"Hey, I'll try anything once," Caylin replied, hanging onto Midnight to keep him from leaning out of the car too far.   
  
"Slimy's Diner huh?" Randall asked. "I think I've been there once. Nice place."   
  
Sulley nodded, watching the buildings and cars go by next to them. "It doesn't take long to get there from our apartment."   
  
Mike took a turn and the diner appeared in the turnoff. Mike made another turn and they soon found themselves looking for the 'perfect' parking place, as Mike put it. Sulley finally convinced him that there were no such things as the 'perfect' parking place. So, Mike finally got coaxed into taking the one closest to the building and they filed out.   
  
Randall and Leia pushed the doors open and walked inside. It was styled like an old, casual diner, waitress monster went from table to table taking orders and others went by to delivered the orders. Caylin stopped outside and tied his fluppy's leash to the stairs' railing, before joining the group inside.   
  
Midnight jumped up at him, trying to follow, but was soon stopped by his leash, which jerked him back. As he discovered that resistance was futile, he sat down on the step and scratched his ear with his back foot boredly as he watched the door swing closed.   
  
Caylin sat at a windowside cubicle with Randall and Leia and tapped his fingers on the table. "So," he began. "Where's Sulley and Mike?"   
  
"They're gonna order something for us," Leia explained. "They said it was on them, so we're just waiting."   
  
Randall, not paying attention, picked up a packet of salt and looked at it oddly. "Who uses this much salt?" he asked, holding up the large pre-made packet.   
  
Caylin shrugged. "Ask the people who made 'em."   
  
"Sorry, stupid question," Randall said with a shrug.   
  
Meanwhile, Sulley and Mike sat at stools at the counter to make their order, since it was taking forever for them to recieve a menu. Mike tapped his fingers on the countertop, waiting for the next available waitress to ask them their order. Sulley cleared his throat.   
  
"Um, could we get a menu over here, please?" he asked the busy, passing waitresses. They didn't seem to notice him.   
  
Mike sighed, resting his head on his hand. "You know, at this rate we'll get our orders by. . .oh, next week, at the latest," he said sarcastically.   
  
"I can't believe we let that guy get away!" came part of a conversation from a monster sitting beside them.   
  
"I told Bruton we should have shot him right there," another voice replied.   
  
Mike's eyes widened as the guy next to him spoke those words. He looked out of the corner of his eye to see Hunter and the ugly, octopus monster conversing over a cup of coffee. He gulped and elbowed Sulley firmly. Sulley cringed and frowned down at Mike.   
  
"Hey, what was that for?" he asked annoyedly.   
  
"Shhht, Sul. . ." Mike muttered quietly. "Those guys. Don't they look just like the guys Leia and Randall told us about?"   
  
Sulley glanced past Mike's head and his eyes widened too. "What are they doing here?"   
  
"Having coffee! This is a diner! What do you think, Sul?" Mike exaggerated.   
  
Hunter sighed rubbing his temples in frustration. "Sloop, we sent a whole crew of agents down to his apartment to find him," he muttered. "We tore the place apart but there was no sign of him."   
  
Sloop hmmed. "You think he went somewhere else?"   
  
"Ya think?!" Hunter snapped. "That lier! He had the code all along and I bet he knows more than what he's led us to think. . .That's why he's avoiding us. And that Kawaii girl. Ugh! I knew she couldn't be trusted. . ."   
  
"Is that why Bruton wants us to find him?" Sloop asked.   
  
"Yeah," Hunter replied, an evil grin on his face. "That and not to mention they would very much like to dispose of him."   
  
"Hee hee," Sloop chuckled. "We'll find him again, don't worry."   
  
Hunter took a sip of his coffee. "And when we do, I'm not gonna hesitate to shoot him," he said firmly, patting the good-sized, spacey-looking gun in his belt. "He's not getting out of our grasp this time. . ."   
  
Mike gulped and put a hand on his furry buddy's spotted arm as if to say 'we gotta get out of here'. He glanced over to where Randall, Leia, and Caylin were casually chatting and noted that it was dangerously close to the two stalkers. One little sideways glance and they would be seen. Then they'd have quite a predicament on their hands.   
  
A waitress finally came with a couple of menus for Sulley and Mike just as they began to inch away from their seats. Hunter and Sloop's attention was briefly turned to them as the waitress spoke. They gulped and slowly sat down again to avoid looking suspicious. Mike held his menu upside-down and cleared his throat nervously, aware that they were being watched. Sulley turned his menu upright and put it back in his hands. Mike anxiously chuckled.   
  
"Let. .us..see..here," he said a bit too abviously. "I think we'll take five orders of the breakfast special and five coffees. Uh, please."   
  
Hunter and Sloop casually turned back to their conversation as the waitress took their menus and walked into the kitchen. Both let their breath out slowly in relief, noticing that they weren't regarded as anything suspicious. Then they jumped down from their stools and rushed over to the table their three friends sat at.   
  
"Guys, we gotta get going, now!" Mike said, trying not to draw attention to himself.   
  
"Now?" Leia asked. "Why?"   
  
Randall furrowed his brow. "What are you talking about Wazowski? We haven't even gotten breakfast yet."   
  
Sulley leaned over to him and turned his head in the direction of Sloop and Hunter. "You're buddies are here, that's why," Mike explained.   
  
Randall's eyes widened in shock as he recognised them. "What are they doing here?"   
  
"They're lookin' for you, Lizard Boy," Mike replied. "You musta made those guys really mad, cuz they want to eliminate you."   
  
"What? Eliminate me??" Randall gasped, not wanting to believe that he was only a couple meters away from two monsters that wanted to kill him.   
  
"It's Hunter and Sloop!" Leia exclaimed in a hushed tone. "They're two monsters who, I'm sure, aren't going to give up easily if they're assigned to a mission."   
  
"Sloop? Sounds like a dish I had in Ahhstralia. . ." Caylin muttered.   
  
"Now, let's get going before they spot us, shall we?" Mike suggested, heading for the door ahead of the others.   
  
Carefully, they slipped out of the bench that wrapped around the table and followed Mike's example. Mike opened the door and Midnight began to ferociously bark up a storm, spotting Sloop and Hunter inside. They were two monsters he couldn't forget the smell of. He growled and caught the two monsters' attention.   
  
Sloop squinted, looking at Randall and Leia. "Hey, Hunter, it's Kawaii and that Boggs guy!" he exclaimed, jumping down from his seat and reaching for his micro-blaster.   
  
Hunter clenched his teeth with a growl and immediately grabbed his own micro-blaster, jumping down from his seat. He fired a couple of shots that barely grazed past Randall and Caylin's heads. Midnight barked even louder, pulling against his leash insistantly.   
  
"Okay, I say now's the time to make a break for it," Leia suggested, breaking into a run.   
  
Another shot was fired and Randall ducked just in time, making it blast a hole into the wall. Hunter and Sloop began chasing them outside, firing shot after shot much to the customers and waitresses' dismay. Everyone hid under their tables or behind the counters as the shots hit windows, food platters, and bottles. Caylin quickly untied his fluppy from the stairs and scooped him up, running to catch up with the others who had piled into Mike's car.   
  
"Mikey, go!" Sulley urged, forgetting that Caylin and Midnight were still behind.   
  
Mike stepped on the gas and the car began to speed out. Leia gasped, seeing Caylin run towards the car, trying to get away from the angry monsters. "Caylin and Midnight!" she exclaimed.   
  
She took off her seatbelt and climbed out onto the back hood of the car. Randall tried to grab her but she slipped past him. "What are you doing?!" he exclaimed.   
  
She partially ignored him and reached her hand out towards the running gecko-monster. "Caylin, grab my hand!" she urged just as a shot whizzed past her head.   
  
Caylin jumped and grabbed ahold of her hand just as Mike sped up again going into traffic. Leia nearly fell off, still trying to hang onto Caylin's hand, but she managed to stay on. In his other hand, Caylin held the terrified fluppy. Midnight was whimpering and whining, trying to jump onto the car and feel solid ground under his feet again. Caylin knew he wouldn't make it, so he held on to the squirming fluppy desperately.   
  
Randall could tell they were having problems and took his seatbelt off too, crawling onto the back trunk of the car. He knew it was crazy, but he figured if her plan had worked like it did, he should at least help. Randall held his hands out. "Give me the fluppy," he said to Caylin.   
  
Caylin did his best to hold the frightened animal out to him and Randall grabbed him, setting him on the floor of the back seat. Leia then took ahold of Caylin's other hand and pulled him up. Both were panting as they made their way back to the safety of their seats again. Randall put his seatbelt back on and looked at Leia.   
  
"That was crazy," he let her know.   
  
"Well, we couldn't just leave him there, could we?" she replied. "They had micro-blasters and I know for a fact that those things are powerful."   
  
Randall looked down at his feet. She was right. He looked back up at her. "I suppose you're right, I guess," he muttered, then looking to Caylin. "Sorry I didn't do more."   
  
Caylin was still catching his breath and hugging his fluppy. "It's okay," he replied. "By the way, thanks for losing your mind for me Leia."   
  
Leia laughed. "Anytime, Caylin."   
  
"Hmm, hmm. . " Midnight whined, looking up at his owner pleadingly.   
  
Caylin looked down at him and cuddled him. "It's okay boy. We're safe now," he reassured the little dog.   
  
But still the fluppy whined, looking up at him with big turquoise eyes. Leia glanced at the distressed animal and spotted the problem. "Caylin, I think he's been hit. . ." she said.   
  
Caylin looked indignant. "I never hit him."   
  
"No, I mean he's been shot," Leia elaborated. "Look at his front, right leg."   
  
Caylin gingerly lifted up the leg and Midnight whined, pulling back. Sure enough, there was a scratch where the shot had grazed a bit too close for comfort. Midnight gently chewed on the collar of Caylin's coat as he checked it over, a sympathetic look on his face.   
  
"You're right," he said. "Hey, Mike, pull over here would you?"   
  
"Okay," Mike replied, pulling over to the curb.   
  
Caylin jumped out cradling his pet. "I'll see you later, I've gotta get my little guy to the vet," he said sadly, closing the car door behind him. "Randall, I'm sure Leia can help ya as your scare assistant today. Just leave the paperwork for me, I'll be back in time."   
  
Leia raised an eyebrow. "Me? Scare assistant?" she asked, then shrugged. "Okay, I guess I'll just go with the flow. Hope Midnight comes out okay."   
  
"Yeah, better have the vet check it over good," Sulley recommended.   
  
Caylin nodded. "Bye guys."   
  
"See ya Caylin," Randall said, as the car began to pull out. "Take care of 'im."   
  
Caylin smiled and waved with his free arm, before disappearing around the corner.   
  


******************************************************************************   
  
NOTE: The next chapter's gonna be a crucial turning point in Randall's life (and not to mention this story) and it begins to make him and his friends a part of this soon-to-be-intense adventure. You might also get a glance into his past. ~_^ So make sure to stay tuned for that one!


	6. Past Secrets

**Dangerous Secrets   
by Joy**   
  
NOTE: Whew, long chapter, hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! BTW, just as an afterthought, I thought I'd let you know, I do my fic crossovers original from the movie I'm twisting them with. Although, I might add a few of my favorite movie scenes here and there, I never copy movies - way too predicatable. But whatever crossover I decide to do, you can count on it that it'll be original and exciting. As you can tell, I love writing action-filled, edge-of-your-seat stories with a little humor and/or romance mixed in. ~_^   
  
By the way, if you want to put in your input, you can either review or e-mail me with your votes for my next story. I've narrowed my choices down to three. If you can't choose, vote for two or all three if you want. The results are below.

  
  
Jurassic Park 3/MI = 1   
Treasure Planet/MI = 3   
Lilo & Stitch/MI = 0   
  


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**Chapter Six - Past Secrets**   
  
Randall just finished up the last door of the day and shut it behind him with his tail. Leia jerked the scream canister out of its holder just as the quitting bell rang. While the other monsters finished up their scares, she carried the canister over to a rack by the station's workdesk.   
  
"You know, I think I'm finally getting the hang of this," Leia said, setting the canister down.   
  
Randall pressed the 'return' button and the door was lifted into the air on its way back to the vault. He half-grinned at her. "Yeah," he agreed. "You catch on pretty quick."   
  
"Thankfully enough," she chuckled.   
  
"So, is that hacking offer still open for the taking?" he asked.   
  
Leia nodded, tapping the multi-colored paperwork on the desktop to straighten them. Then she left them on the workdesk for Caylin to do later. "Sure, as long as you've reserved us a computer," she replied.   
  
"Yeah, I've got it all worked out," Randall answered confidently, walking towards the hall. "We just gotta wait another half-hour and it's all ours."   
  
"Great," she said, heading out with him. "What do you want to do while we wait?"   
  
"The Wreck Room is always open," he suggested.   
  
"Is that the place where they have the game room?" Leia asked, making sure her predictions were right.   
  
Randall nodded. "Yeah. Of course, I'm the pinball champion there," he bragged. "So, maybe I'll go easy on you for your first try and play a game of simple, one-on-one ping-pong."   
  
Leia smirked. "You don't think I can handle you, do you?" she asked, reading his expression.   
  
"Hmm. . .not really," Randall replied teasingly. "Nobody's beaten me at pinball OR ping-pong."   
  
"Well then, Hot Shot, let the games begin," Leia declared. "I challenge you to a game of ping-pong."   
  
"You're on," Randall answered, his competitive nature kicking in. "But don't be disappointed if you lose your first time."   
  
"Don't worry about me," Leia replied. "I think I can handle it."   
  
They turned the corner down another hallway and a door with a sign reading, 'Wreck Room'. Randall opened the door and they went into a large room that appeared to look like an arcade. A single stair led down to another part of the room where the had pool tables and a couple ping-pong tables, along with some benches to sit on. Colorful paintings and pictures hung on the walls, giving it a casual feel. Many of the employees liked to come to the Wreck Room to relax after a hard day of work. In fact, a few monsters were already there playing video games, pinball, and pool.   
  
"Hey guys, wait up!" Caylin's voice came from behind them.   
  
He held the door open and walked in. Randall and Leia turned around. "Hi Caylin," Randall greeted. "How's your dog?"   
  
"Midnight? He's gonna be fine, I dropped him off at Mike and Sulley's place before I came down here," he explained, grinning. "So, how'd things go on the Scarefloor?"   
  
"Pretty good, the girl learns fast," Randall replied. "But now I'm gonna show her a thing or two on the finer points of playing ping-pong."   
  
"Uh oh," Caylin said, looking at Leia. "You challenged him didn't you?"   
  
Leia folded her arms and nodded. "Sure did."   
  
"I'd better get some popcorn," Caylin chuckled. "I feel a battle coming on."   
  
"Feel free to take a seat and watch, if you want," Leia offered, heading towards the nearest ping-pong table.   
  
Caylin followed the two down and took a seat on the bench setting against the wall. Leia picked up a paddle and so did Randall. Randall went over the rules and they began to bounce the ping-pong ball back and forth. The game went on for about fifteen minutes and Caylin was beginning to get dizzy watching that ball keep going back and forth, forth and back, and so on.   
  
Randall hit that plain, white ball towards Leia in an attempt to finally get it past her but she quickly shot it back. Randall rebounded it back with a hard, fast swing and she again sent it back his way with a surprisingly small hit. It barely hopped over the net and Randall couldn't get to it fast enough. It hit the green top of the table. He had lost - to a girl!   
  
He stared at her in disbelief and she giggled. "Didn't expect that one?"   
  
Caylin's jaw dropped. "Woah, that's a first," he said, a grin forming on his face. "Two points for cunning."   
  
Randall shook his head. "I can't believe that happened," he said. "She beat me."   
  
"Don't worry, you did great," she told him with a smile. "I haven't had a ping-pong opponent more challenging than you and that's the truth. You weren't going easy on me now were you?"   
  
"No, I wasn't," he said, still in shock that he had lost to the opposite sex.   
  
Caylin got up and patted him on the back. "Like she said, you did great! That lasted a good, oh, fifteen minutes. I last a good, oh, fifteen seconds."   
  
Leia held out a hand to him. "Good game, Randall."   
  
Randall smirked and shook her hand. "Yeah," he said. "That was pretty good. But you might not be so lucky next time. . ."   
  
Both grinned at each other, just as the Wreck Room door opened. They turned to see Sulley's secretary, Crystal Fearmonger, walk in holding a clipboard against her chest. She looked much like Sulley himself, except slimmer and more feminine with a few other attributes, such as color, that set her apart. In fact, many of the newer employees mistaked her for being related to the CEO, even though she wasn't.   
  
Crystal scanned the room, her eyes finally resting on Randall. She walked over to him, tucking a strand of royal purple hair behind her furry cheek. "Mr. Boggs," she said. "There are a couple of monsters in the office that say they came to see you. Would you like to see them? Or should I ask them to leave a contact address or something?"   
  
Caylin stood next to Randall and Leia. It seemed that Randall was trying to decide what to tell her, Caylin cleared his throat and leaned in close to Randall's earhole. "Er, Randall, two monster that want to see you?" he whispered. "Doesn't that sound a bit eerie?"   
  
Randall nodded. "Hunter and Sloop," he replied in a whisper.   
  
Leia put in her opinion. "It could most likely be them," she added. "But it's your choice. We'll come with you if you do decide to go."   
  
"What are their names?" Randall asked Crystal.   
  
Crystal put her hand on her hip. "If you want to know why don't you go talk to them? I don't see why you're so hesitant, they seem like nice monsters," she replied. "And they're very eager to talk with you."   
  
Randall sighed and shrugged. "Sure, I'll meet them," he agreed.   
  
"Wonderful," she replied, turning out the door and into the brightly lit hallway. "Follow me."   
  
Leia glanced at Randall. He looked nervous. She figured he had every right to be. With BGB stalkers on his tail looking to kill him and so many things happening at once, she would be too. Leia put a hand on his shoulder as a silent reassurance that she and Caylin would be right there with him. Randall glanced at her and she gave him a gentle smile. He seemed to relax a bit and half-grinned, nodding to her as if saying 'thanks'.   
  
Crystal led them to the secretary's office and opened the door, holding it open for them as they filed into the room. Randall was surprised to see - not Sloop and Hunter - but older monsters of his own species looking at him. One was a male, only a couple inches taller than Randall, with eight limbs, royal purple scales, and blue eyes. The other was a female with pink scales, four limbs, wavy chocolate brown hair, and green eyes. His eyes widened as if this were just some dream. They looked as if they could be related to him. . .almost as if. . .no, it couldn't. It just couldn't.   
  
"This is Rayford and Naomi," Crystal announced. "I'll just leave you guys alone for awhile. If you need me I'll be in Sulley's office."   
  
"Randall. . ." Naomi began gently, looking him over as if he were something precious that she hadn't seen for so long. "I can't believe it's you. . ." She walked up to embrace him but he abruptly backed away from her.   
  
Randall squinted at her. "Wha-what are you talking about? I don't even know you. . ." he said.   
  
Rayford's proud smile faded as Randall looked at them as if he had never seen them in his life. He sighed and shook his head, looking at Naomi with an expression of regretful sorrow. He then looked back at Randall, a gentle, caring smile on his face.   
  
"Randall. It's us," he tried. "Don't you remember?"   
  
Randall blinked in confusion. He didn't want to admit that they looked sort of familiar, but they did. "I-I don't know you," he repeated.   
  
Rayford sighed, again the look of sadness overshadowed his face. "We're your parents," he revealed.   
  
The news hit him like a tidal wave. His parents? All his life he had been told his parents were dead. Ever since he was three he had been an orphan, with the exception of the care he, his brother and twin sister got from a family friend. If they were alive all this time, why didn't they tell him? They should have known his whereabouts. After all, wasn't he their son? Didn't they love him? A deep hurt and anger welled up in his heart.   
  
"If you're really my parents then why did you wait so long to show up?!" he demanded, frowning at the both of them.   
  
"Randall. . ." Naomi said in a very motherly way. "Just listen for a moment."   
  
"There's no excuse you can give for leaving a little kid," Randall snapped. "You can't be my parents!"   
  
"We didn't, we gave you Troy," Rayford replied. "But we can ex-"   
  
"My parents wouldn't just give me up!" Randall interrupted, hurt and angry at the same time. "At least not if they wanted me!"   
  
Leia and Caylin, who had stayed quietly shocked during this whole thing, glanced at each other and Leia walked up to him. She set a hand on his shoulder. "Randall, why don't you let them explain?" she suggested gingerly.   
  
Randall glared at Leia and Leia backed off. He then looked back at the two lizard-monsters in front of him, his chest rising along with the tears that began welling up in his eyes. He clenched his fists angrilly. "You're not my parents. . ." he said, his voice straining as he held back the tears.   
  
Naomi's face softened into a sympathetic expression and she made a move towards him, her motherly instincts urging her to embrace him. But she placed a gentle touch of her hand on his shoulder. "Just let us explain," she replied. "We didn't mean for it to turn out this way. . ."   
  
Randall just jerked his shoulder out from under her touch and flung the door of the office open, running out into the hallway. "Wait!" Rayford urged as Randall slammed the door in his face.   
  
He needed time to think and he wanted to do it alone. Everything was happening too fast. First the kidnapping, then the shootout in the diner, and now this. He couldn't figure out why, if they were his parents, would they abandon him like they did. It made him sad to think it was possible that they didn't love him. But then, if they didn't love him, why had they come for him? It was too confusing.   
  
The tears streamed freely down his cheeks as he threw the back door of the building open. He emerged out into the fresh, cool air of the back parking lot and sat himself down on the curb, putting his face in his upper hands. Everything in his life was just falling apart and nothing seemed to make sense anymore. Right now, all he wanted was to be left alone. . .   
  
"Randall?" Rayford's voice came from behind him.   
  
Randall growled softly. "Leave me alone."   
  
Rayford sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. The news had abviously not gone over very well with Randall. He knew all he wanted was the best for his son, but he could never seem to get that message across. At least, not yet. His son now thought he and Naomi were traitors.   
  
Rayford sat down next to Randall and glanced at him. "You know," he began. "Your mother and I only wanted the best for you. . ."   
  
"Oh, and I suppose giving me up was your way of showing it?" he muttered, turning his face away from Rayford's so that he wouldn't notice the tear stains on his cheeks.   
  
"We had to, or you would have been killed," Rayford replied gently.   
  
Randall blinked, clearing his vision from the blurriness of the tears, and glanced over at him. "Killed? Why?"   
  
Rayford took a deep breath, getting ready to explain himself. He knew he'd have to explain everything if his son would come to trust him again. "Okay, here's the story," he said. "It happened about twenty-four years ago, a couple of weeks after you had just turned three. . ."   
  
***********************************************   
  
"Honey, can you hand me that wrench-like. . .thingy over there?" Rayford asked, flipping a welding helmet onto the top of his head.   
  
The couple sat in a large room where a giant machine that appeared to be a generator stood, towering well over their heads. Rayford knelt down in front of the open side panel, tweaking the wires and inner workings of the gigantic machine. Naomi sat casually at a consule nearby that was used to monitor and control the gigantic generator. She turned around in her seat, handing him the tool.   
  
"They're called needle-nose pliers, dear," she corrected him.   
  
"Ah, well, I knew that, I was just making sure you were paying attention," he said matter-of-factly, smiling at her before turning back to his work.   
  
Naomi smiled, shaking her head before turning back to the monitors. She was watching them to make sure everything was going smoothly. Suddenly, the over head speakers crackled to life, causing Rayford to take attention - but not before bumping his head on the side panel cover. He rubbed his head, looking at the loudspeakers as a feminine voice began to speak.   
  
"Will Naomi and Rayford Boggs please report to the SSO conference room? Immediately. Thank you, that will be all." With that, she signed off with a click.   
  
"Gee, what do you know?" Rayford sighed, putting his tools and welding helmet down. "Just when I get started, we get called for some kind of briefing. That's what happened yesterday too. . ."   
  
Naomi chuckled, helping him up to his four feet. "I wonder what they want this time," she said, walking through the doorway as it automatically parted in front of them.   
  
Rayford shrugged, walking alongside her. "I guess we'll find out then, won't we?" he replied.   
  
Both of them turned the corner to come to a door marked, 'Secret Spy Organization - Conference Room'. Rayford opened the door to be greeted by a long table at which a bulky, Komodo dragon-monster sat waiting. Rayford and Naomi approached him.   
  
"Troy? What is it?" Rayford asked the monster, setting his hands on the table.   
  
"Well, there's a little matter I need to talk to you about," Troy replied uneasily.   
  
"RRRRAAAAWWWWRRR!!" came a small, fierce roar from behind them.   
  
Naomi and Rayford turned to see a three-year-old Randall putting on his scariest face, only to find he looked pretty silly. Naomi smiled, leaning down to pick him up into her arms. "And you brought our children out of the daycare? This is highly unlike you, Troy," she commented, holding her son close to her.   
  
Randall's twin sister, who looked almost exactly like him had she not been a girl, crawled out from under the table too. She giggled and hid back underneath the table again, playing a little game of hide-n-seek.   
  
"I know, I know, but I dubbed it necessary after watching young Randall," he said.   
  
"What do you mean?" Rayford asked, eyeing his friend suspiciously. "Has he done anything wrong?"   
  
Naomi looked at the pale purple hatchling in her arms and he looked back up at her with big, alert, green eyes. "'M I scary momma?" he asked eagerly.   
  
She smiled tenderly and nuzzled his nose with hers. "Of course you are sweety," she replied.   
  
Little Randall smiled widely, the proudness glowering off of him. Troy glanced at the innocent little lizard and sighed, looking back at Rayford. "No, no, not at all. I was just watching your son play with some blocks in the daycare," he said. "I'm afraid that he has picked up a few things that he shouldn't have. . ."   
  
"Like. . .?" Rayford pried.   
  
"Like the code to your new invention," Rayford said, biting his lip. "You know, he must have watched you type that code in so many times it must have stuck. He was spelling it out with his blocks."   
  
Naomi gasped and glanced at the little lizard in her arms. He smiled back, innocently oblivious to what they were talking about, and bagan to look curiously around the room. "You mean, Randall's picked up the code?" she asked in dread, holding her baby closer.   
  
Rayford slapped a hand to his forehead. "This is terrible. . ." he muttered under his breath. "No, this is beyond terrible. . .How could I have been so stupid?"   
  
"I know it is," Troy agreed, tapping his claws on the tabletop. "If the Bad Guy Bureau gets wind that your son knows the code, they're going to want to get their hands on him by any means possible. . .He's only a child after all, it would be much easier than getting it from you two. . .And once they get that code, well, we all know it's not good from there."   
  
Rayford sighed frustratedly and ran a hand through his blue-tipped fronds. "What are we going to do?" he sighed, trying to think. "The BGB wants my Super Scream Generator - and the code that powers it - more than anything. For what, I don't know yet, but we have to keep it safeguarded until I can secure it into the core of our other generator."   
  
Troy seemed to be thinking of something. "What was that invention of yours built to do again?" he asked.   
  
"It's simple," Rayford explained. "The President of the SSO found that he couldn't attain enough scream power to keep this place running 24/7, so he employed me to make the Super Scream Generator. This device, once installed into the core of a main generator, can reuse and recycle the screams run through it daily. It also stores an amazing amount of scream power - one charge is enough to power the city of Scarelington for a month or more."   
  
"I see. . ." Troy replied, rubbing his chin. "That still doesn't give me much of an idea as to why they would want it so much, though."   
  
Naomi put Randall on the floor and took a seat. "So, if they got Ray's code from our son, what would they do with him afterwards? Keep him for their own purposes?" she asked with worry.   
  
Troy pursed his lips and shook his head. "No, they'd most likely kill him," he said. "Ray is elected to become the next president of the SSO. So, unfortunately, they'd love to get rid of your offspring before they have a chance to grow up to become talented top agents like you two are."   
  
Rayford stood upright, an idea coming into his mind. "Then, if it's for the children, I'll quit the SSO," he declared.   
  
Troy bit his lip and looked down at the table before looking back up at him. "They'd still track you down. They know your name, where you live, everything," he reasoned. "It wouldn't matter either way. In fact, you'd probably be in more danger if you quit the SSO. Agents have some of the highest in government protection here."   
  
Rayford plopped down into a chair and nodded in acknowledgement. Suddenly, alarms blared and sirens went off out in the hallway. Little Randall and his twin, Raina, ran under the table in surprise. Naomi collected the two into her arms and shot a glance at Rayford. Rayford raised an eyebrow, his fronds perking up at the sound. He got out of his chair and took Randall out of Naomi's arms.   
  
"We've gotta get out of here," he declared. "We've got secrets and kids. . .Gee, what a great time to be under attack!"   
  
Troy stood up and followed them towards the door. All three rushed out into the hallway, just missing a few agent monster who ran past them in an attempt to be prepared to fight back to the intruders. Just then, a couple of large, odd-looking monsters emerged out of the long hallway - BGB agents! The group ducked into another hall. Rayford barely spotted them go past and dropped Randall in Troy's arms, Naomi doing the same with Raina.   
  
Rayford grabbed his shoulder and looked him face-to-face. "I've made my decision. Troy, I want you to have our children," he said, the sadness already gripping his heart.   
  
"What??" Troy replied in shock, holding the twins. "But you love these kids! I can't just-"   
  
"Troy, listen to me, it's the only way to really make sure they'll be safe. We trust you like family. . . Now, what you must do is take them far from here. Move out of the country if you must, just don't ever tell us where. Just bring them as far away from this place as you can. . ." Rayford instructed, kissing his twins on the head, looking at them as if it might be the last time in a long while.   
  
"Daddy!" Randall cooed, his tail swishing happily.   
  
Raina smiled and giggled. "Kissie."   
  
Naomi had tears in her eyes at this news, but she knew it had to be done. She followed Ray's example and kissed her twins, looking up at Troy. "Please, take good care of them," she asked. "And tell Selix we love him too."   
  
Troy could do nothing but nod silently. "I will, you have my word."   
  
Then they ran out from the hallway, off to help fight off the invading enemy agents. Unknown to anyone, Troy took the children and ducked out the emergency exit.   
  
***********************************************   
  
Randall looked down at the sidewalk, as if trying to recall that day, and then looked back up at his dad. "So, you did it to. . .protect me?" he asked, as realization dawned on him.   
  
His father nodded. "That was the first thing on our minds son," he reassured him. "Troy told you we were dead, mostly so you wouldn't come looking for us. But, now, I think it's about the time you knew the truth. I'm sorry it came down on you so hard."   
  
Randall pursed his lips and nodded in understanding, leaning over to embrace him. After so long, it felt good to have a parent around - a real parent - one he could go to for advice and all of that stuff that he had missed so much as a child. "I'm glad you came back," he said.   
  
Rayford smiled, hugging him back. He was glad to be able to hug his son again. Then, holding him at arms' length, looked him over fully for the first time. "I see you've acquired my good looks," he chuckled, making a fist and giving him a friendly noogie on the head.   
  
Randall ducked away from the noogie and chuckled. "Maybe," he joked.   
  
"Oh really?" Naomi spoke up from behind, arms folded. Caylin and Leia were smiling as they stood next to her.   
  
Rayford grinned. "And your mother's too, of course," he added. "Hey, how long have you three been standing there?"   
  
Naomi smiled and approached the two sitting on the curb. "Only since you started telling him our story," she replied.   
  
Randall stood up and Naomi gave him a warm, motherly embrace. She kissed him on the cheek and Randall half-grinned. "Aw gee Mom, not in front of Leia and Caylin. . ." he muttered.   
  
"Oh, don't be silly! They're your friends, they won't mind," she replied.   
  
Caylin chuckled. "That's a really interesting story, Mr. Randall's dad," he said. "I can't believe you guys are actually spies. But. . .why'd you come back?"   
  
Rayford laughed. "Just call me Ray," he replied. "But we can always explain that later. I think Randall's had his head reeling enough for one day."   
  
Randall smirked and Leia walked over to the curb with him. "You ready to head back to Mike and Sulley's apartment?" she asked. "I'm supposing that you could use a cup of coffee or something, after news like that."   
  
Leia turned to Randall's parents. "Hey, Sulley and Mike have more room in their apartment," she said. "And I'm not saying this for sure or anything, but I think they'd like to have you over. You know, to stay for a few days. You must have come from a long ways away."   
  
"Actually, we didn't come from another country or anything, but it would be nice to have a place to stay for a day or two," Naomi replied. "By the way, I think I've met Mike and Sulley. . .They're the big, blue monster and his little one-eyed friend, right?"   
  
Caylin nodded. "Those are the guys. Oh yeah, Randall's apartment is kind of under watch by the Bad Guy Bureau, so that's why we're staying at Mike and Sulley's place," he said. "Just in case they, y'know, try to grab him again."   
  
Rayford nodded. "We heard all about what happened. The both of us were worried to death once the news came, so that's part of the reason why we returned," he commented.   
  
Just as they talked, a car pulled into the parking lot. Inside the hoodless car, Hunter and Sloop sat, their eyes trained on the group of monsters. Hunter took out his micro-blaster as Sloop slowed the car to a stop near a cluster of bushes and trees. He looked through the shot aimer built into the top of the gun and aimed it at the most open monster of the five - Randall Boggs. . .   
  


**********************************************************   
  
NOTE: Ooh, Randall's parents make their big return and the tension just coninutes to rise. . . But I'll just leave you hanging until the next chapter gets done. *innocent grin*   
  
I also hope you liked learning a bit about Randall's parents (or at least my version of his parents) - Rayford and Naomi Boggs - and a tidbit of his past. You can tell just by reading this chapter where Randall got his inventive ability, green eyes, and some other little goodies I hid in there. ~_^ It explains alot, but there's still more to be uncovered and more excitement to be found, as my trailer indicates. So, stay tuned! Oh yes, and feel free to continue letting me know how you like it so far! I love getting and reading reviews. (Doesn't everyone who writes fics? ^_^)


	7. Joining Forces

**Dangerous Secrets   
by Joy**   
  
NOTE: Good luck to Sean on his new story. Oh yeah, and if you didn't get my e-mail, you have permission to use Naomi and Rayford in your story, just keep in mind that I would like it very much if you gave me credit for them. ^_^   
  
By the way, I'll be putting up bios and pictures of all the new characters in DS on my site as soon as I can. I'm also going to be changing the voice talents and a few bio things for Leia and Caylin, cuz I finally found just the perfect voice talents (something I was having problems with doing earlier). I'll keep you guys posted on that and let you know when I do, but I just thought I'd give ya the heads up. ~_^   
  
*******************************************************************

  
  
**Chapter Seven - Joining Forces**   
  
Hunter waited until the car came to complete stop and raised the gun until it was steadily aiming at his target. Randall had his back turned, so this would easily reach it's mark before he even realized what hit him. Hunter smirked and pulled the trigger. . .   
  
Leia was talking with Randall, when something behind him caught her eye. She squinted at it. "Hey, what's that car doing over-" she began, but suddenly she gasped when she heard the sound of a gunshot. "Randall, look out!"   
  
Without waiting for him to react, she pushed him down onto the sidewalk as the blue lazer shot zoomed over them, hitting a nearby aspen and slicing it off at the trunk. Rayford and Naomi jumped back in surprise, watching it fly past them and kill the tree with a clean cut that would have been in Randall if it hadn't been for Leia.   
  
"Where in the heck did that come from?!" Randall exclaimed, glancing up into the place where the silver car was parked.   
  
Leia propped herself up on her arms, following his gaze. "It's Hunter and Sloop again," she muttered. "It seems they've been hot on our tails the whole time. . ."   
  
Randall growled, his lips parting to reveal rows of sharp teeth. "Those jerks. Don't they ever give up?"   
  
"I don't think they will until they have what they want," Leia replied, glancing at him before getting up. "I know those two better than anyone."   
  
Rayford went over to Randall and began helping him to his feet. "You okay? That was a bit too close for comfort, if you ask me," he said. "It's a good thing your girlfriend here was smart enough to shove you out of the way."   
  
Randall almost choked. "Girlfriend??" he exclaimed, getting to his feet.   
  
"I told ya!" Caylin interjected, pointing an accusing finger.   
  
"We're just friends," Leia declared nonchalantly.   
  
"Yeah, I'm not into that mushy love stuff," Randall agreed.   
  
Rayford held up his hands in defense. "Okay, okay," he chuckled. "Sorry I brought it up. But, still, it was a good thing you did what you did, young lady."   
  
Leia nodded, brushing herself off. "I appreciate it, but you shouldn't be thanking me yet because I really don't think this is over yet," she commented.   
  
Just as she finished her sentence, a shot whizzed by, scraping across Rayford's fronds. Rayford winced and spun around to see more shots coming their way. "Take cover!" he warned everyone.   
  
Caylin leaped into a bush, blue lazer shots showering around him. Randall pulled his mother behind a nearby car where Leia and Rayford already took cover. The sound of shattering glass came from the red car they were hiding behind and Naomi peeked around the car to see the silver car pulling out and heading over to where they were hiding. These guys really meant business. . .   
  
Naomi shot a desperate glance toward Rayford, Leia, and Randall. "They're coming this way," she said. "Maybe we should grab Caylin and make a run for it."   
  
Randall snuck over to the back of the vehicle just as another shot made it's way straight through the metal of the car door. It almost hit his tail and he called out to Caylin. "Cay, we're making a break for it," he yelled. "C'mon!"   
  
"Comin. . ." Caylin replied nervously, running as fast as he could manage to go towards the red car.   
  
Just then, Mike came out the back door, wondering what was going on. "What're all the bang-bang and pow-pows about?" he asked, looking around, then spotting the five and screamed.   
  
"My car!!!!" he yelled, his hands flying to his head as he saw the shattered window and holes in the red-painted metal. "What've you guys done to my baby!?!?"   
  
"Wazowski! Get back inside!" Randall warned urgently.   
  
Mike put his hands on his hips, a glare on his face. "You just want time to get away before I kill you, you. . .you. .eight-armed car wrecker!"   
  
"UGH! I'm serious!" Randall insisted.   
  
Mike opened his mouth to give him a comeback, but it was cut short when a shot shaved off one of his horns. He closed his mouth and gulped, looking in the direction of the car that began picking up speed towards the group. "Uh, gotcha," Mike replied briefly, running back into the building and slamming the door behind him.   
  
Rayford grabbed Naomi's hand and they began running towards the other side of the parking lot. Leia, Caylin and Randall followed closely behind, the silver car tailing them from behind and picking up speed with every step they took. Caylin glanced over his shoulder and saw how close the car was getting and quickly picked up the pace.   
  
Leia panted. "Where exactly are we going?" she asked Randall's parents.   
  
"I suppose we're gonna have to explain the other part of our reason of coming," Naomi explained, panting in between words as they went through a bunch of bushes on the borderline of the Monsters Inc. property.   
  
"And that is. . .?" Randall asked.   
  
"You'll see, right now we've gotta concentrate on losing Hunter and Sloop first," Rayford said, batting a branch out of his face as they emerged onto the sidewalk on the other side.   
  
Caylin ducked as Ray let go of the branch and it flew towards his face. "I've been craving for something new to start happening in boring old Monstropolis, but this is a bit too exciting for my taste," he muttered, trying to keep up with the others. "So these guys'll kill all of us, right?"   
  
Naomi nodded, not looking back. "I'm afraid so."   
  
"Wonderful," Caylin said sarcastically. "Well. . .at least we're stickin' together."   
  
They ran down the sidewalk as the silver car swerved tightly, pulling into the street going after them. Randall spotted them from the corner of his eye and picked up the pace with all four of his feet, nervous that Hunter now had his micro-blaster trained on him. Leia saw the nervousness and worry on his face and slowed down a bit so that she was running directly behind him, shielding his back from them with her own.   
  
"So, how do you suppose we lose them?" Leia asked, starting to run out of breath like everyone else.   
  
Rayford didn't reply but ran into a narrow alley, so the rest of them just followed. It was way too narrow of a vehicle to pull into, so the car screetched to a stop and Hunter and Sloop got out with their guns. Rayford led them down a series of turns in and out of alleys and soon they found that they had lost the two stalkers. All five then had the chance to slow down, exhausted and sore.   
  
Caylin rested his back against the wall of a building and looked at Rayford. "Can you tell us where are you taking us now?" he asked.   
  
"I might as well," Rayford replied, turning to his wife. "Naomi, why don't you explain?"   
  
Naomi nodded. "We're taking you to the SSO," she explained. "My father and I decided you were old enough to join. That is, if that's what you want to do, son. We'll understand if you wouldn't want to."   
  
Randall raised an eyebrow. "You know, I don't believe I had the word 'spy' on my job description. . ." he began, looking off into the distance as if thinking it over. He looked back at his parents. "Why do you want me to join now?"   
  
Naomi brushed a strand of brown hair out of her eyes, and put it into a ponytail with the rest of her hair. "Well, the Bad Guy Bureau is growing by the day," she said. "We can't quite handle it with the number of agents we currently have, at least, the number of good agents we have. They swiped your father's Super Scream Generator and who knows what they've done now, if they got the code from you, Randall."   
  
Randall bit his lip. "I'm pretty sure they did," he said. "Me and my friends overheard Hunter and Sloop talking about it in Slimy's Diner."   
  
Rayford rubbed the back of his neck. "This isn't good," he muttered. "Since they already have it, they could be more dangerous than ever. Then they might try something. . ."   
  
"Like what?" Leia asked curiously.   
  
"Like. . like. . .oh, I don't even know," Rayford replied. "We've been trying to figure out what Bruton has planned, but it's become very difficult to figure out. We don't have a basis for our theories to work off of, so it's virtually useless information."   
  
"So, you think I could help?" Randall asked, looking back to his parents.   
  
Rayford and Naomi nodded. "You are our son, after all," Naomi said gently.   
  
Randall smiled gently at them and nodded. "If it's to get rid of them and help you guys, I'll do it," he replied.   
  
They smiled proudly and Naomi hugged him, running a hand through his fronds and ruffling them up. "That's wonderful news. I knew you'd want to," she said.   
  
"And your friends might be allowed to join too, if they meet the general standards," Rayford said, looking at Caylin and Leia.   
  
Caylin puffed out his chest. "I'd meet your standards, sir," he said, saluting.   
  
Leia giggled and nodded. "I'm not ever going back to the Bad Guy Bureau, no matter what my father says," she said.   
  
Rayford and Naomi were caught off-guard at this statement. "You were with the BGB?" Rayford asked suspiciously.   
  
"Yeah, but not anymore," she explained, noting their reaction. "My father forced me to join. But I'm already trained and the works, so I'm pretty much ready for the duty. I swear, I'd never turn on Randall, Caylin or you guys."   
  
Caylin nodded in agreement. "She's the nicest lizard-monster gal you could ever hope to meet," he enforced. "Yup, not a streak of true BGB agent in her."   
  
Leia smiled at Caylin. "Thanks."   
  
"Anytime, girlie-girl," Caylin replied, winking.   
  
Randall nodded. "I knew her two years ago, she helped out with that whole scientist situation," he said. "You guys've probably heard all about it."   
  
His parents nodded. "Yes," Naomi agreed. "Then I suppose if you two trust her, so should we. You're welcome to join to SSO, Leia. I'm sure they could use alot of secrets that you aquired from the BGB."   
  
Leia nodded with a grin. "I'm more than happy to oblige," she said. "I would love to help annihilate the Bad Guy Bureau."   
  
Rayford nodded with a smile. "It's settled then. Let's get going," he said. "I'm sure I can get you guys in."   
  
"How can you be so sure?" Caylin asked, heading down the alleyway with them.   
  
"I'm the SSO President," Rayford replied simply.   
  
Caylin's eyes widened with interest. "Ooooh, I tell ya, Randall's got the coolest parents. . ." he commeted.   
  
Randall chuckled. "Little did I know 'til now."   
  
Suddenly, the voices of Hunter and Sloop came from behind them. "I've got one of 'em!" Hunter said, jerking Caylin towards him by the arm.   
  
"Hey, jerk-o, let go of me!" Caylin demanded, struggling against his iron grip.   
  
Hunter just laughed evilly, wielding his micro-blaster and pointing it at him. "I don't think so. . ."   
  
Randall and Leia gasped as they watched. But they didn't need to do anything. Caylin began tickling him and he burst out laughing, letting his arm go. Sloop was about to grab him when Naomi side-kicked him into the wall, taking a karate stance waiting for him to react. But when nothing happened, she relaxed and glanced over at Caylin, taking his hand and dragging him with them down the alley.   
  
Randall and Leia followed. "Hey, Mom, I didn't know you knew karate," Randall began with an amused smile.   
  
"There are many things you don't know about me, son," she smiled, switching to a jog.   
  
Suddenly, a shot went off and Leia's scream could be heard. Randall gulped in dread at what could have happened and he turned around to see her laying on the ground clutching her leg. The worst of it was that Hunter and Sloop were coming to claim their prize. Randall ran over to her and grabbed her hand, which she held out towards him.   
  
"I'll carry you," he offered quickly, beginning to pick her up.   
  
She shook her head and pulled herself to her feet. "No, I'd slow you guys down and they'll shoot you too," she said, pushing him forward. "Just go, I'll follow!"   
  
"No, I'm not leaving you behind," Randall insisted.   
  
"Listen, Randy, I'll be okay," she said calmly. "It's you they want. Go!"   
  
Hesitantly, he nodded slowly and jogged after his parents and Caylin, hoping she'd be able to keep up for a little while longer. They ran for several blocks before Randall dared to look back. She wasn't behind them and neither were Hunter and Sloop. He began to have regrets at leaving her behind, but he forced himself to keep going.   
  
"What happened to Leia?" Caylin asked Randall.   
  
"She insisted I go," he said. "She said she'd follow us on her own."   
  
"You know, the girl does have a point there," he said.   
  
"How?"   
  
"They wouldn't hesitate t' kill ya. That's how," he said. "You stay behind with her and we'd have two injured monsters to drag back to the SSO. Either that or you'd be dead by now."   
  
"Yeah, but I keep feeling guilty that I left her back there alone," Randall muttered.   
  
"Hey, she's a tough gal," Caylin reassured him. "True, she was shot. But if she thinks she can take care of herself for awhile, she probably can."   
  
"We're nearly there," Rayford spoke up as they approached a large, normal-looking store building.   
  
Caylin looked at it in all it's plainness and blinked. "This is your headquarters?"   
  
Rayford nodded. "Sure is," he said. "But it's more than it appears to be."   
  
They approached the door and Rayford pressed his hand onto the panel and it scanned it. The door parted with a smooth sound and the four stepped inside. Randall found himself taking one last look behind them, hoping Leia would show up okay, but no one came. He sighed and the doors slid closed again. Why was it he felt this way? Was it that he had left her behind to fend for herself? Was it because she was his best friend? Whatever the reason, he was unsettled and worried as they decended down.   
  
Naomi looked at him, noting the expression, and put a hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong? Is it Leia?" she asked.   
  
Randall snapped out of his thoughts and looked at her, forcing a faint smile. "Huh? Uh, nothing. Just thinking," he lied.   
  
She nodded just as they stopped moving and the elevator doors parted again. The four of them stepped out into something that looked much like a mall lobby, except with a more professional, high-tech feel. The receptionist's desk stood right ahead of them, a tall indoor waterfall and foliage behind her. The soothing sound of rushing water echoed through the large, warmly lit lobby. Two moving stairways sat on either side of the receptionist's desk, leading up to a second level and down from the second level. Monsters traversed from them pretty actively as they approached the desk.   
  
Rayford set his arm on the desktop. "Sheila," he said, glancing at the pretty, purple-haired monster behind the desk. "Sign me in and give me three enlistment forms, please."   
  
"No problem, sir," she said, smiling at her boss before thumbing through a stack of papers. Randall's familiar appearance caught her eye. "Who's this?"   
  
"This is my son, you remember Randall, don't you?" Rayford replied.   
  
"Oh! Randall, that's right," she said, giving Ray the papers. "Welcome to the SSO. Following in the footsteps of your father, I see."   
  
Randall half-grinned. "Yeah, you could say that, thanks."   
  
Sheila nodded. "I'm sure you'll be a great agent," she grinned.   
  
"And I'm Caylin, his friend," Caylin introduced himself, smiling.   
  
"Nice to meet both of you," Sheila said, answering one of her ringing phones and waving as they headed off.   
  
Naomi took Randall's hand and led him with Caylin and Rayford, to the upward moving stairway. Caylin ran a hand down the railing, admiring the specks of purple and golden yellow painted on it as they ascended up. Randall looked over the side railing at the spectacular indoor waterfall behind the receptionist. It was a lovely and relaxing touch to the place, it was much more inviting than the Bad Guy Bureau headquarters - by far. The foliage scattered all around gave the place a slight jungly feel as well, but it was a warm, inviting place to be.   
  
"You like that waterfall?" Naomi asked, smiling.   
  
Randall looked back at her and nodded. "Man, you've got quite a setup here," he said. "I love the jungle feel you gave the place."   
  
Naomi set her hand on the railing. "Yes, I loved it too. I believe your father was in charge of the decorations," she said. "He even grew an indoor jungle in one of the training rooms. It's probably the most lovely place in the building."   
  
"Really?" Randall asked. "Hm. So, once I get this form filled out. . . then what?"   
  
"You'll be signed up for an intense training schedule," Rayford said. "It'll have to be intense, since the BGB now has the code. But it'll also help prepare you to be a spy."   
  
Randall nodded. "I'm sure I can handle it," he said confidently, as they reached the top and stepped onto the tiled floor of the second floor.   
  
"I'm ready for my duty, sir," Caylin said, saluting Rayford.   
  
Rayford chuckled. "Good to hear."   
  
He handed Caylin and Randall the enlistment forms. "I'll show you two to your rooms and you can call Mike and Sulley or whoever you want to let them know where you guys are. I don't want them worrying over you," Naomi said.   
  
"I'm going to be in my office," Rayford explained to them. "That'll be just two halls down from your rooms. I'm sure I've got too much to do, calls to make, announcements to make known. . .that kind of stuff. But don't hesitate to approach me if you need anything, son."   
  
Randall grinned. "Thanks Dad. I'll keep that in mind."   
  
"Now, your rooms," Naomi said, leading them down a hall lined with hexagon-shaped metal doors and numbers at the top. "You don't mind sharing a room with Caylin do you, Randall?"   
  
"Naw," Randall said. "We shared dorms in college, so that's nothing new. It'd actually be nice to have someone I know to talk to until I work myself into the social system here."   
  
"Yeah, it'll be just like old times, eh Randall?" Caylin agreed as they approached a door.   
  
It parted in front of at a diagonal into the walls to reveal a very decent-looking room. A bunk bed sat at one end of the room and a desk stood near it. Every essential they would need was already there. Naomi stayed at the doorway as the two lizard-monsters walked inside and looked around. She leaned her shoulder on the door and smiled, watching her grown son explore all the attributes of the room. She missed him so much and now they were reunited again. That fact made her feel complete again.   
  
"Everything is voice activated," she said. "So, it should make things easier. Get some sleep. Tomorrow you'll probably begin training."   
  
Caylin picked up a orange from a fruit bowl on the desk and he took a bite out of it. "Shounds Goot," he said, his mouth full of orange.   
  
Naomi smiled and shook her head. "Good night boys," she said. "Hopefully we'll be able to locate Leia and she can join you."   
  
"Night Mom," Randall replied, sitting on the bed again. Leia popped into his head and a guiltiness overcame him again, the door closed as his mother left. He glanced at Caylin. "You really think she'll be able to hold out on her own out there?"   
  
"Sure do, buddy," Caylin said surely. "She'll make it back."   
  
Just as they spoke, their door opened again and Leia stood there, being escorted in by Rayford. "Sheila saw her outside," he said. "I found her in the nurse's office. You don't mind if she joins the party in here do you? At least, until I can get her a room of her own."   
  
"Hey, it's Leia. . . whaddya know?" Caylin said, looking at Randall. "Toldja."   
  
Randall breathed a sigh of relief seeing her limp into the room, her leg bandaged up. "Hey Leia, so you really did make it out fine. . ." he said. "I thought something had happened back there. I shouldn't have left you."   
  
Leia smiled as Rayford left the room too. "Hi Randall, Caylin," she greeted with a smile. "No, you did just what you should have done. See? I got here just fine." She sat on the bed next to Randall.   
  
"Yeah, but-" he began.   
  
"Is it that I'm a girl?" she interrupted.   
  
"Well. . .maybe, I - er, well, I'm not even sure myself," Randall replied.   
  
Leia nodded silently and smiled. "It's not that bad. It's just a deep cut," she reassured him. "The nurse says it should be fine within a week."   
  
Randall half-grinned and shook his head. "You're probably the toughest female I think I've ever met. . ."   
  
Leia chuckled, running a hand through her golden blonde hair and tying it back with a royal purple scrunchie. "Well, after going through putting up with the jerks at the Bad Guy Bureau, you kind of have to adopt a tough attitude," she replied. "It's full of obnoxious egos."   
  
Randall laughed. "Obviously," he replied, grinning. "So, you gonna join us in training tomorrow?"   
  
"Of course, someone has to teach you boys how it's done," she joked, shooting him a smile. "Just kidding. Yeah, I could use a refresher."   
  
Randall smirked and nodded. "Okay, sounds good."   
  
Caylin, meanwhile, picked up the phone and pointed to it. "I'm gonna call Mike and Sulley and let them know where we are," he said, dialing the number into the pad.   
  
"I suppose we should get some sleep," Leia suggested, patting Randall's shoulder before climbing onto the top bunk. "Good night, Randall, you too Caylin."   
  
Caylin winked at her and gave her the thumbs-up as he talked on the phone. Randall felt led to help her up there and put his hands on her waist and gave her an extra boost up. She sat down on the edge and grinned down at him. "Thanks," she said, laying down and pulling the covers over her shoulders, careful not to hit her leg on anything. "Night."   
  
"Yeah, night," Randall replied, plopping down onto the soft mattress of the lower bed and closing his eyes.   
  
He was only planning to rest his eyes, but soon he found himself drifting off to sleep. He kept drifting until sleep began enveloping him like a blanket. Soon, he was fast asleep.   
  
*****************************************************************************   
  
NOTE: Keep a lookout for more outtakes! 


	8. Eve of Destruction

**Dangerous Secrets   
by Joy**   
  
NOTE: I've finally decided on my next fic! It will be a spin off of Treasure Planet. No matter how hard I've tried, I couldn't think of a fic much different from the movie, so it'll be somewhat like the movie, but with twists thrown in, new characters, and new scenes. My fourth (should I decide to do one) *might* be a JP3/MI one if I get any good ideas. Yup, Randall is having a very exciting life. lol. Between spies, treaure hunts, pirates, and dinosaurs he's gonna be one busy monster.   
  
******************************************************************

  
  
**Chapter Eight - Eve of Destruction**   
  
It had been several weeks since Randall, Caylin, and Leia were brought to the SSO. All three began an intense training routine and now were nearly finished. Caylin never did too good on the training courses. He was quite clumsy at times, sometimes knocking over one hurdle after another. And his nervousness with a lazer gun proved hazardous. But he still got the job of an informant.   
  
Meanwhile, Randall and Leia did remarkably well, passing every test with flying colors. In fact, Randall proved to be a natural athlete, taking after his proud parents. His quick reflexes and mind made him a formidable opponent for anybody to go up against. Both soon attained level one badges along with the formation of a tight, three-way friendship. Sulley and Mike were even allowed to visit them, wowing over the place as they were shown around.   
  
Leia's leg was healing nicely as well, with some help from Randall and Caylin who, at times, went out of their way to make sure she wasn't pushing herself too far. Even though, more often than not, she could hold her own.   
  
It was now mid-afternoon. After a few hours of horsing around with the games in the lounge, the three walked down the hall side-by-side, heading off to meet a fellow SSO agent to discuss news concerning Bruton and his cronies. It was their first call, but none of them were nervous. Actually, they were eager to find out what was going on.   
  
"So," Caylin began, adjusting the collar of his official SSO shirt. "What do you think Bruton wants to do with your Dad's invention? The one who's closest gets a cookie."   
  
"You know, maybe he needs that Super Scream Generator to power something really large," Leia suggested. "Like a weapon or something?"   
  
Randall shrugged his shoulders lightly. "That's a good concept, but I'm not sure myself. I really don't think we can make any guesses right now."   
  
"Ooh," Caylin replied. "That's a good guess Lei. But I guess we find out soon enough, huh?"   
  
They turned the corner and was greeted by a cat-like monster with well-groomed silver and black fur. She wore an official, navy blue SSO outfit too, like they had on. She turned around towards them, a folder under her arm and smiled, seeing who the three monsters were. "Hello," she greeted, holding out a hand. "I'm Catrina VanOlin. You must be Randall, Caylin, and Leia. Am I correct?"   
  
They nodded in confirmation and Randall took a glance at her folder, then back up at her. "Those the files you were going to talk to us about?"   
  
Catrina nodded. "Precisely," she answered curtly, walking down the hall. "I have alot to do so shall we walk while we talk?"   
  
"I'm the kind who can't chew gum and walk at the same time, but no problemo," Caylin replied, following her and his friends.   
  
Catrina took out a photograph and handed it to them to look at. "You know who this is don't you?" she asked. "His name is Bruton Kilroy. He's evil, he's nasty, he's ruthless. . ."   
  
"And he doesn't brush his teeth," Caylin observed.   
  
Randall, Leia, and Catrina stopped to look at him. He blinked.   
  
"What?"   
  
Catrina smiled and took the photo back, putting it into the folder with some papers and began skimming over them. "Well, from what we know, this guy already has the code and the Super Scream Extractor," she explained, glancing at them briefly. "Our agents have picked up a tidbit of information telling us that he's planning something big with it. It's only logical to assume that it would be used for such a thing as a large weapon or possibly many of them."   
  
"So, you guys haven't found out what they want it for yet?" Leia asked.   
  
Catrina shook her head regretfully. "That's why I had the reccommendation of sending you two to find that out," she said.   
  
"Uh, hey, there's three here. What about me?" Caylin asked eagerly.   
  
"You're an informant," she explained. "That means Mr. Boggs and Ms. Kawaii relay they're information to you via phone and you send it on to us. It's also your job to call for backup, when neccessary."   
  
Caylin ahhed and Randall looked at the cat-monster briefly, processing the information she had just given him. "When do you want us to leave?" he asked. "We've only got a couple more training days left before we're full-fledged agents, so we could even do it now."   
  
They turned a corner into the mess hall, where the cafeteria was located. It was a large area with a high ceiling and many little places where you could buy food. A small-sized fountain stood in the middle of the room, trickling calmly as monsters passed. Basically, it looked sorta like a food court in the mall.   
  
Catrina paused. She seemed to be in thought about this matter. But she soon turned back to the purple lizard-monster. "You'll be called to head on out tonight," she informed him. "It's easier to move about unnoticed under the cover of night than it is in broad daylight - even if Mr. Boggs can vanish."   
  
"Uh, call me Randall would you?" Randall requested.   
  
Catrina nodded. "Right. Randall," she corrected. "Good luck you two. And take my advice, prepare for anything, because here, it just might happen."   
  
"Oooh, mystical," Caylin said.   
  
Leia laughed at Caylin's antics and gave Catrina a single nod. "Will do."   
  
With that, Catrina headed out of the mess hall, leaving Randall and crew behind to pick up their dinners. Leia got in line with Caylin and Randall simply picked up a bottle of purple slurp soda from one of the venders. Leia glanced over her shoulder at him.   
  
"You picking up dinner?" she asked him.   
  
Randall shook his head, unscrewing the top off of the bottle. "Nah, that meatloaf I had for lunch didn't sit with me very well," he replied. "Now I'm wondering what exactly the 'surprise' in the meatloaf really was. . ."   
  
"I was about to buy a slice myself. But when I saw something moving in it, I changed my mind real fast." Caylin commented.   
  
Leia chuckled. "Okay, but I'll save a sandwich for you - you know, just in case you get hungry later," she smiled, before moving up in line. "Oh yeah, and I'll make sure nothing's crawling in it."   
  
Randall grinned, shaking his head slowly, and took a drink of his soda before heading over to a nearby table. He sat down and grabbed a newspaper that was setting in the middle of the table. Randall flipped through the pages, skimming over stories about triplet three-headed babies, a ten car pileup in - of all places - an alley, and various other articles. Suddenly, he stopped on page A6. What caught his attention was a headline at the top, it read; 'Airport Thief Strikes Again'. Randall furrowed his brow, reading through the article. . .   
  
_It seems that the notorious "Airport Thief" has struck again. His ring of thefts from various airports around the state has the local authorities stunned and puzzled. In the past, this thief has been made a name for himself, stealing certain airplane parts - each from a different source. Witnesses argue about the appearance of the thief, but what they do agree on is that he appears to be of the saurian nature. The local police don't know why he steals certain parts and why he picks these certain planes. But, it seems, until the offender is caught it will remain an enigma._   
  
Randall's eyes rested on one word, processing it though his head over and over. Saurian nature? Didn't that mean he was a dinosaur monster? Just then, Leia came over with a food tray. She suddenly noted the enlightened expression on his face as he looked at the newspaper.   
  
"What'd you find in there, Randall?" Leia asked, sitting down on his right and putting her try down.   
  
"You gotta read this," Randall said, giving it to her. "And tell me, doesn't it sound more than a little suspicious?"   
  
Leia took a few moments to read over the whole thing, but once she finished she glanced back at him. A look of realization came on her face. "You kidding me?" she replied. "It sounds just like Bruton. . ."   
  
"Exactly what I was thinking," Randall agreed, folding the newspaper and setting it back on the table. "We gotta tell my parents about this."   
  
"Caylin too," Leia added.   
  
He nodded, taking his bottle of soda and standing up. "They should be around here somewhere," he said, looking around before turning his attention back to her. "I'll bring them over. You stay here and eat your lunch."   
  
Leia smiled and tossed him a nice-looking beefbeest sandwich. "Don't forget this," she said. "You should be eating something too, if we're gonna be leaving soon."   
  
Randall caught it and nodded gratefully, weaving between tables occupied by other SSO agents. He finally spotted Rayford and Naomi casually chatting and laughing at their table with some friends. He made his way over to them and his parents paused to look up at him. Naomi smiled.   
  
"Hello Randall," she greeted cheerfully. "Is everything alright?"   
  
Rayford smiled proudly at his son. "What can we do for you?"   
  
He and Naomi had grown very attached to their son over the past month, it was as if they had known each other all of their lives. And now Randall was following in their footsteps in becoming a great spy. He couldn't of asked for more and with every passing day he grew more fond of his son, wanting to spend as much time with him as he could manage. Though, with his busy schedule, it became hard sometimes. But whenever Randall wanted something, they would - most of the time - be willing to give it to him.   
  
Randall ran a finger around the lip of his soda bottle and nodded. "Everything's fine, Mom," he reassured her. "I just have some news. Can I talk with you guys. . .er, alone, please?" He glanced around at the other three monsters with them, who stared up at him patiently.   
  
Rayford and Naomi looked at each other then back at their friends, dismissing themselves to join Randall. Naomi put a hand on his shoulder. "What was it you wanted to tell us?" she asked.   
  
"I'll show you," he said, motioning for them to follow. "Come with me."   
  
He led them to the table Leia was sitting at and picked up the newspaper, flipping to the page and giving it to Rayford. Rayford and Naomi looked it over. Randall waited for them to finish before explaining. He pointed to the words 'saurian nature'.   
  
"It says here that this guy is some type of dinosaur monster," he pointed out.   
  
Leia turned around in her seat to look up at them. "And you know, Mr. and Mrs. Boggs, we think that this guys could be. . ."   
  
"Bruton," Rayford finished.   
  
"Exactly," Randall and Leia said simutaneously.   
  
Naomi looked at Rayford. "We've gotta let the top agents know about this," she suggested, smiling over at Randall. "Brilliant detective work, Randall."   
  
Rayford nodded, folding up the newspaper and tucking it under his arm. "You don't mind us taking this do you?" he asked. Randall shook his head.   
  
"No, go ahead," Leia replied.   
  
Randall opened his mouth to say something else, when he abruptly paused. He stared at the clear glass setting on Leia's tray. Inside, the orange soda was rippling just slightly, each ripple continued coming in increasingly closer intervals. Leia followed his gaze and turned around to see the same sight. She blinked.   
  
"What's. . .going on. . .?" Leia asked slowly.   
  
Suddenly, a low sound could be heard above-ground. Everyone in the mess hall stopped what they were doing to listen to the deep, mechanical rumbling that sent soundwaves that made the building shake ever so slightly under their feet. Suddenly, the sound stopped and silence enveloped the building. Naomi clung to her husband, looking around and listening once more.   
  
"What was that. . .?" she whispered.   
  
Rayford only shrugged his shoulders helplessly. "I was wondering the same thing."   
  
Leia glanced at Randall, who only lifted up his hands cluelessly. "Well, it sounds like it's gone now," Leia said cautiously, not too sure of that statement herself.   
  
Suddenly, an explosion rocked through the above-ground level and a tremor ran through the underground section of the building. Randall, Rayford, and Naomi were shaken off-balance, grabbing onto something to keep from falling down. Leia hung onto the table as the tremor shook throughout the mess hall. Randall sent a desperate look towards his parents and her.   
  
"We'd better get somewhere safe," he said just before the emergency sirens went off, blaring loudly enough to fill the room.   
  
"Like father like son, eh?" Rayford agreed, standing upright and jumping up onto the table. "Everyone move down to level Z12 - to the jungle training room! Now! You know your training!" He had to yell to get the message across to all the monsters in the room.   
  
"Ray - get down from the table!" Leia called out.   
  
Rayford suddenly heard a cracking noise above him and looked up to see part of the concrete roofing heading straight for the table. He jumped down just in time to see the table crash into pieces. Naomi rushed over to him and helped him steady himself, breathing a sigh of relief herself. That was way too close. Randall and Leia joined them.   
  
"Dad! You okay?" he asked.   
  
Rayford nodded, breathlessly. "Right as rain, son. Let's just concentrate on getting out of here."   
  
Leia looked around at the monsters running in what one could describe as organized chaos, making it out safely. But as more pieces of concrete rained down from the damaged roof, she knew things could start getting bad fast. Rayford had a good point. Leia, Randall and his parents jogged out towards the 'down' escalator, where the rest of the monsters were filing out.   
  
They were just about to get onboard when Randall spotted Caylin still out in the mess hall. His tail was stuck under a boulder of concrete and he was struggling fiercely to free himself. Randall looked from Leia and his parents to his best friend and sighed, running out towards him.   
  
Naomi gasped and tried to stop him, but was unsuccessful. "What are you doing??" she gasped.   
  
"Randall, come back here!" Rayford called urgently, worry gripping his heart as Randall rushed out into what looked like a warzone.   
  
Leia held Randall's mother back gently as she attempted to go in after him. "It's Caylin," she explained, trying to calm his mother. "He's in trouble. Randall's going to help him. He's fully capable and you know he can handle himself better than most monsters. He'll be okay, Naomi."   
  
Ignoring his parents' desperate calls, he dodged another falling concrete boulder and found his way to the frantic gecko-monster's side. He had grown strong during his month of training, so lifting the small boulder wasn't too much of a task for him to accomplish. Caylin whipped around and a smiled formed on his face.   
  
"Randall! Am I glad to see you! But gee whiz, you have impeccable timing, y'know that?" he said happily, pulling his tail out from under the rock of concrete.   
  
"Yeah, I try," Randall replied, dropping the boulder again. "Now beat it before the whole ceiling falls in. I'm right behind ya."   
  
"Right on it, Double-0 Boggs," he said, still managing to keep that continuous humor of his.   
  
Caylin ran off zig-zagging around big pieces of the roof, Randall keeping constant pace behind him. Back at the escalator, his parents let out their breath, relieved that he came out okay. Leia smiled. She was confident, after what she had experienced with him the past month, that he'd be able to handle himself well.   
  
A loud crack suddenly echoed through the nearly-empty mess hall and Naomi gasped, staring speechlessly up at the ceiling above Randall. The purple lizard-monster, meanwhile, didn't note the look on his mother's face. He was busy keeping an eye on Caylin and making sure nothing went wrong. But something went very, very wrong. . .   
  
A giant piece of the roof detached itself and plummeted down towards where Randall was heading. Rayford called out and Randall turned to look up, but it was too late. He hit the floor, pinned down by the heavy piece of concrete that now sat on his midsection. The wind was knocked out of him and he felt a sharp stab of pain radiate through his body. He groaned, trying to lift the boulder off of himself, but it wouldn't budge.   
  
"Randall! No!" Caylin exclaimed in panic, not sure whether to go back or not.   
  
Randall looked up at him, desperation filling his pained expression. "No, keep. . . going!" he urged between deep breaths.   
  
Rayford's eyes widened and he rushed out to his son, pushing Caylin towards the escalator with Leia and Naomi as the remainder of the ceiling began to cave in. "You three get to level Z12 with the rest of the monsters!" he instructed.   
  
"But we can't just-" Leia began hesitantly.   
  
"I said go!" Rayford ordered, standing firmly on his decision.   
  
Leia then nodded grudgingly toward him and helped Caylin and Naomi onto the escalator. As they disappeared, Rayford rushed to Randall's side. His eyes were closed and and his breaths close and labored, abviously he didn't have the strength to pull himself out from underneath the concrete. Rayford quickly went to work, using every last bit of his strength to push the boulder off, but it finally rolled off.   
  
Randall took in his first big breath of air as the weight lifted off his chest and stomach. He was barely aware that he was being picked up and carried. Randall felt too light-headed from the lack of oxygen to acknowledge anything clearly. Finally, he gave up trying to fight it through the pain and blacked out. . .   
  
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NOTE: Ooh, things are looking bad for Randall. Will he survive? (Are you nuts, how could I kill off Randall?) And what caused the massive explosion? And is the 'Airplane Thief' really Bruton? So many questions. . .so many cliff-hangers. . .stay tuned for the next chapter - Aftermath! 


	9. Aftermath

**Dangerous Secrets   
by Joy**   
  
NOTE: Sorry it took so long to get this one put up - I've been busy busy busy. lol. Please let me know what you think of Leia so far. I've been putting much more thought into her personality and stuff - especially for this chapter. She's actually acting much more like me now. ^_^ Oh yeah, and the voices for Leia, Caylin, Naomi, Bruton, and Rayford can be found in my profile. (Yup, to get it just click on my author name at the top of this page - if you don't know how to bring it up already)   
  
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**Chapter Nine - Aftermath**   
  
Randall began to hear voices and the crackle of fire as he slowly began to regain consciousness. He flinched, again feeling the tight pain in his midsection. He stay laying for a few more moments, trying to figure out by sound and touch where he was. There was the heat from that fire he was hearing and what lay beneath him felt like a blanket. There was also the. . .rustling of leaves?   
  
Someone sighed. "What's the damage report, Catrina?" he asked.   
  
"Well, Mr. Boggs, I'm sorry to report this, but the above-ground level was totally annihilated," she replied. "The first two below-ground levels will most definately take several months to restore. . ."   
  
"Did all the agents get down here safely?" Rayford asked.   
  
"Not. . .all of them, sir. I'm sorry," Catrina replied regretfully. "Approximately a hundred of them couldn't get out in time. We have about sixty more that are injured. . ."   
  
The sound of a stick stirring the embers of a fire reached Randall's ears as a long pause followed her report. Rayford then finally replied. "Does anyone have any clues to what caused all this destruction so quickly?" he asked, sounding frustrated and tired.   
  
Naomi gave a soft reply. "Perhaps Bruton has built this 'Shockwave' thing that you've been looking into."   
  
"That might be it - I saw it!" Caylin's voice spoke up. "Before the place fell in, I could see, like, black jet wings or something like that. There were several of them. . .I'm not sure exactly what all that means, but those things sure are powerful."   
  
"Black jet wings huh?" Rayford replied with interest.   
  
Randall was getting uncomfortable and rolled over on his blanket. Suddenly a shot of pain ran through his stomach and he groaned painfully. A gentle hand touched his shoulder. "Stay still, please. You'll hurt yourself further. . ." came Leia's worried voice.   
  
He opened his eyes, slowly letting them focus on her soft expression. Above her branches and jungle vines swayed ever so slightly. He immediately knew where they were. This must have been the bio-training room, the last phase in their on-duty spy training. It was built to imitate a real jungle, with mechanical enemies, booby traps, and all sorts of tests. It was so big that it covered the whole last level of the SSO building, but it was considered a very valuable training method for new agents.   
  
Leia ran a hand through his pink-tipped fronds and smiled. "How are you feeling?"   
  
"Like I got hit by a truck."   
  
She shook her head and turned to the first-aid kit. "I'm sure I've got something in here for that. . .Hang on."   
  
Randall clutched his side gingerly and turned his head to look at the small group gathered around a good-sized campfire. He figured they were using it mostly for light, since the place was largely climate controlled. His parents were over there, along with Caylin, Catrina, and quite a few other agents. They were talking amongst themselves, some worried, others fearful, and even more seemed unsure about their current situation. Leia handed him a small glass with a orange liquid in it.   
  
"Here, drink this," she said. "It'll make you feel better."   
  
Randall eyed the strange-looking medicine, then glanced back at her. "You sure?"   
  
"Hey, have I ever steered you wrong?" she smiled, shutting the first aid kit.   
  
Randall shrugged his shoulders lightly and drank it. He began to sit up when Leia urged him to lay back down again. He rolled his eyes. "Now I suppose you're my nurse?" he said, a light chuckle escaping his lips. "I know how to take care of my - OW!"   
  
He winced and let her help lower him down again. "On second thought, maybe a bit of rest would be a good idea right now. . ."   
  
Leia laughed. "Yeah, you know, it might just help you, Tough Guy," she suggested. "And as for me being your 'nurse', it looks like you could use one."   
  
"Har, har, har. I'm doing just fine - er, relatively speaking. . ." he replied.   
  
"Well, even if that's true, I just want to make sure you're recovering okay," she said, scooting over closer to him and resting her back against a tree trunk. She pulled her knees up to her stomach and wrapped her arms around them, watching the group near the fire. "You had quite an episode back there. We were all worried."   
  
Randall propped his pillow up against his tree so that he could partially sit up and he glanced at her. "We?"   
  
"Yeah," she admitted. "You know, it scared me too how that boulder fell on you. Ever since your father brought you in here in the condition you were, me and Caylin were worried sick about you. I mean, you are one of my best friends, and well. . ." She paused, looking at him as he stared at her and blushed bashfully.   
  
"Geez, what am I going on about?" Leia laughed uneasily. "Sorry if I'm rambling. Can I get you anything?"   
  
Randall shook his head, a lopsided smile forming on his face. "It's okay," he said, settling down into his pillow. "In fact, it's kinda nice to know I have someone who cares that much about me - aside from my parents. The only friend I had that was really loyal to me was Caylin. Sad, really. . ."   
  
Leia looked at his features, lit by the distant light of the fire and put her hand on his. "Why they'd leave you like that is beyond me," she said. "I mean, when I first met you, it wasn't too smooth. But once I got to know you, I found out what you were really like."   
  
"And that is. . .?"   
  
"Sweet. Yup, sweet and courageous."   
  
Randall felt a hot red blush creeping onto his cheeks. "Er, thanks, I guess. . ." he muttered bashfully, looking over at the fire. "You're not too bad yourself."   
  
"Thanks," she said, smiling. "Hey, how're you feeling now?"   
  
"Pretty good actually, seems like that stuff of yours is working after all," he said, carefully trying to stand up.   
  
Leia helped him and grinned, taking a quick glance at the group camped out around the fire. She wanted to let them know how Randall was doing and bring him over to join them, but they were still occupied with their own conversations. She decided that she'd wait a few minutes longer. Leia glanced back at where Randall was standing, but he was gone. Her eyes widened in surprise and she began to look through the ferns and foliage for him.   
  
"Very funny Randall, but the least you can do is warn me before taking off like this. . ." she muttered, making her way further through the jungle.   
  
She heard some rustling in the leaves of a tree nearby and parted the vines to see him walking towards a lovely-looking waterfall, much like the one in the main lobby. Leia slowed her pace, stunned at the beautiful atmosphere. Exotic flowers grew up around the pool at the bottom and plants of all types grew up through the rocks surrounding the spectacle. She caught her breath as Randall turned around, spotting her.   
  
Randall grinned smugly. "Boy, you tail me everywhere don't you?" he teased, getting back to his normal tone once again. "Like it?"   
  
"Wow. . ." she gasped. "This is so beautiful. I don't remember coming across this during training. . ."   
  
"Yeah, when I was doing my run I came upon it," Randall said. "Really a nice place to sit and relax. By the way. . .I knew you'd be following me." He shot her a half-grin, before sitting next to the pool.   
  
Leia smiled and folded her arms, shaking her head slowly. Randall sure was something. He patted a place next to him and she took it as an invitation. She made her way over and sat next to him, skimming her hand over the clear pool's surface. She looked back up at him.   
  
"So, you brought me here on purpose huh?" she said.   
  
"Hmm, let's see here. . .maybe. . .no. Oh yeah, I did," he joked, smiling at her.   
  
Leia smiled gently and tucked her hair behind her cheek. "You're really sweet you know that?"   
  
"Who? Me? You must be mistaken."   
  
Leia laughed. "Of course I mean you, silly! Who else would I be talking about?" she replied.   
  
Randall let his tail hang into the pool of water and grinned smugly. "Caylin maybe?"   
  
"No. . . are you implying something?" she asked, eyeing him.   
  
"Yup," he said. "Let me guess. . .You have a crush him?"   
  
She laughed again. "Nope, but thanks for playing."   
  
Randall got a mischevious grin on his face and, without moving his head, glanced at her casually out of the corner of his eye. "Here, let me try again. You have a crush on. . .me." His eyebrows raised with interest, curious to see what her reaction would be.   
  
Leia's eyes widened at the mention and she looked at him. He gave her a lopsided grin. "Well. . ." she began unsurely, caught off-guard by the sudden question. Her eyes wandered from his with embarrassment, looking for the right words to say.   
  
"You really do, don't you?" he concluded, hinting on her stuttered reply.   
  
Leia blinked and met his eyes with her own. Could she really tell him? How would he react if she said yes? All the time she spent training and living with him and Caylin during the past month had made her care for him more and more every day. But she never thought he had caught on to her occasional giveaways.   
  
She had always tried her best to conceal it, but it seemed Randall knew more than she had first realized. The kiss she gave him a couple of years ago on the poacher's truck was only a subconscious reaction. She was just so grateful to see him that day, but now? Her feelings had gotten much deeper than mere friendship. Did he feel the same? The chance of rejection was the primary reason she held her feelings in for so long - but now he was openly asking. Leia's eyes softened as she looked at him. It was now or never. . .   
  
"Yes," she replied softly.   
  
Now it was Randall's turn to be shocked. His eyebrows arched with surprise. He wasn't really expecting her to say yes, mostly he was just kidding around with her, but now she had admitted she really did have a crush on him! He blinked a couple of times, his eyes darting to the clear pool of water, deep in thought. She had a crush on him, he knew that now. But was it that he had a thing for her too? He tried to convince himself he didn't, but the truth was staring him right in the face.   
  
Leia watched his expression change to a more serious one as she spoke. Her brow creased with disappointment. She knew what he was thinking. She was too straightforward - or just crazy. "I'm sorry, Randall," she apologised immediately. "It's just I - I don't know what I was thinking. . ."   
  
Randall held a finger to her lips, indicating for her to hold that thought, and took a deep breath. He composed what he wanted to say in his head before meeting her eyes once again. "No, don't apologise, just give me a minute here," he interrupted calmly. "Look, the thing is. . .I think I have a thing for you too. . ."   
  
Leia blinked. She was excited yet shocked at the same time. A warm smile spread across her face. Looking into his gentle, green eyes, she could tell he too was feeling the same way. "I was worried that you'd feel differently than I did," she admitted. "I was kinda wondering if it was just a girl thing I was going through, but it's nice to know I'm not alone. . ."   
  
Randall placed his hand on hers and smiled softly. "Well, I guess now ya know. I was kinda wrestling with two different feelings myself. I just never thought about, y'know, finding love again - not after what my last girlfriend did to me. . ."   
  
Leia furrowed her brow. "What did she do to you?"   
  
Randall rolled his eyes at the memories. "Anything BUT love me. Basically, she was using me. She abviously had more important things in her life. . ."   
  
Leia could hear the deep hurt in his voice and her expression softened sympathetically. She closed her eyes and tenderly rubbed her cheek against his. Randall smiled warmly at her touch and returned the gesture, a happiness suddenly rising in his chest. He was beginning to think that maybe admitting his love for her was one of the better choices he had made since returning to the monster world. Somehow he felt that she wouldn't betray him like Shani did. . .   
  
Suddenly, a laugh came from behind them. Both spun around to see Caylin standing there with a smug grin on his face and his arms folded as he leaned against a tree. "Boy, I spend five whole minutes looking for you guys and here you are! Smooching and taking nice little swims together," he chuckled. "Looks like your little secret's out, guys."   
  
Randall glared at him. "We weren't kissing. . .OR swimming together. We were just talking."   
  
"Uh huh, shuuure buddy," Caylin teased. "So, how long have you been going together?"   
  
"Cay-lin!" Randall groaned.   
  
"How long have you been standing back there, Cay?" Leia asked, putting her hand on his hip.   
  
Caylin give her a sly smile. "Long enough to know you two are an item."   
  
Leia sighed and shot a sideways glance towards Randall. Randall caught the glance then stood from the rocky poolside area they were sitting on, looking at Caylin again. He suddenly cringed, feeling the burning pain from his injury come back as he moved. Leia caught one of his arms and helped him up.   
  
"Okay, so we're an item now," Randall admitted openly, once the pain had subsided. "Everyone's gotta find out eventually, don't ya think?"   
  
"Besides, Caylin, what are you doing following us?" Leia asked.   
  
"Well, Randall's mom and dad were starting to get worried when they noticed you two gone," Caylin explained. "So, I said I'd find you guys and, well, here you are! Though I had no idea you were in love. Boy, your parents are gonna be proud of you Rand! You've finally found yourself a girl and you're 27. . .about time if ya ask me."   
  
Randall sighed lightly and shook his head. "Let's just head back, okay Cay, save the taunting for-"   
  
Caylin smirked deviously. ". . Your wedding?"   
  
_*SMACK*_   
  
Caylin rubbed the side of his head as Randall and Leia passed, heading back toward the 'camp'. Randall glanced over his shoulder and smirked at the gecko-monster, faking the "innocent look" as he disappeared behind the wall of vines.   
  
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Rayford chuckled, as he sat around the dimming campfire with Leia, Randall, Caylin, Naomi, and a couple agents. "So, you two have decided to become an item huh?" he asked.   
  
Randall and Leia knew they had to admit it to Randall's parents sooner or later, so they had told them of their feelings for one another. They sat side-by-side as Rayford gave his input. "Yeah," Randall replied simply.   
  
Naomi smiled. "If you ask me, I think it's wonderful you've found a partner, Randall," she said, the proudness showing in her voice. "And I think Leia's a lovely choice. She's such a nice girl."   
  
"I agree with your mother, son," Rayford said, smiling. "As long as you're happy, it's just fine with us."   
  
Leia grinned. "Thanks Mrs. Boggs."   
  
Randall too grinned. This was turning out to be going along much easier than it had when he was admitting it to Leia. Caylin sat back, propping himself up with his arms. He had a smile on his face. "Now if only I could find a cute little gecko-monster of my own, I'd settle down and have kids," he chuckled. "I love kids. . .Speaking of kids. . ."   
  
"Don't - even - go there, Caylin," Randall interrupted, giving him a warning glare. He knew he'd never hear the end of this. Caylin loved teasing him when it came to relations with the opposite sex. . .   
  
Caylin cleared his throat and nodded. "Right."   
  
Suddenly, a bird-like monster with long legs, brown fur, and an official SSO suit on ran out of the jungle towards the campfire. Most of the other agents that had come out of the blast alive were already asleep in sleeping bags, but some awoke at the squawk of the frantic agent. He ran through the clearing towards Rayford and stopped, panting and saluted briefly. Randall noticed that his suit was torn in several places and patches of his fur were singed.   
  
"Reporting back with u-urgent n-news, sir," he said in a nervous, somewhat shaky voice. "I've found t-the location where these p-p-planes are coming from."   
  
Rayford stood up. "Great news, Tando," he said. "Where is it?"   
  
"It's-it's. . .somewhere in the Firey Forests, sir," Tando reported.   
  
"Wonderful," Naomi told him, standing up next to her husband. "Randall, I want you and Leia out there tomorrow before dark."   
  
"Great! It's about time we got a mission," Randall replied.   
  
"BUT," Naomi added.   
  
"Ugh. Why is there always a 'but' when your parents are involved. . .?" Randall sighed, waiting for her to finish.   
  
"You can only leave once your injury is better," she declared firmly. "I don't want you getting in a situation and hurting yourself again."   
  
Randall grudgingly nodded in agreement. "Okay."   
  
"Promise me," Naomi insisted. "I worry Randall. If you're hurt and you find yourself in a bad situation you could get killed."   
  
"Your mother's right, Randall," Rayford enforced.   
  
"I promise, Mom," Randall replied. "Don't worry about me."   
  
Naomi stared at him calmly for a moment and then nodded, satisfied that he had meant it. She kissed him on the forehead and turned to walk towards her sleeping bag along with Rayford. Randall grinned and headed off for his own sleeping bag. Leia's was a few meters away from his and she smiled at him, pulling the covers over her shoulder. "Good night," she said.   
  
He half-grinned and nodded to her, cautiously laying down in his own. "You too."   
  
Meanwhile, Tando watched Randall walk off, a devious smirk on his beak. Little did they know. . .If everything worked according to plan, Bruton would get the Boggs family in his grasp. Once the SSO was weakened and their president gone, the BGB could make a move in overtaking Monstropolis. . .then the whole monster world. Now all they needed was time - and this double-agent was more than willing to wait. Maybe he'd recieve a prestigious place in the new BGB government. . . 


	10. Infiltration

**Dangerous Secrets   
by Joy**   
  
NOTE: Wow! It's been a long time since I've updated this story, but here's chapter ten. Finally. Lol. I know many of you have been wondering what happened to me. Well, between a nearly-broken thumb and my busy school schedule, I haven't had the chance to get around to this story. I hope to post chapters as often as I can and I'm already in the workings of a third in the series. I'm having a few second thoughts about the TP/MI one, I might just do a whole new story altogether. I dunno. I'll probably be decided by the time this story is completed.   
  
By the way, if any of you guys are interested in supporting Randall and a MI2. Check out "http://www.geocities.com/randallboggs02/campaign4randall.html" for details. We need ideas for a sequal to send in to PIXAR. And who better than Fan Fiction writers? Please take a look-see and participate, it could even impact Pixar's ideas for a sequal! ^_~   
  
Now, on to chapter ten! Enjoy!   
  
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**Chapter Ten - Infiltration**   
  
Two dark figures slunk in the shadows in an alley nearing the outskirts of town. In the fading light of evening, they were barely recognizable - that is, unless you were nearby. Both figures stopped at the end of the alley and one of them took a glance around, as if making sure no one had seen them.   
  
"See anything Randall?" Leia asked.   
  
Randall turned around and shook his head. "Nope, nothing," he replied. "Where'd Caylin sneak off to?"   
  
"He should be around here somewhere," Leia replied, giving the alley behind them the once-over. "I told him to keep up."   
  
The purple lizard-monster sighed and shook his head. Sometimes the gecko-monster could be a real pain - especially when it came to urgent things. If he got caught by a BGB agent, Randall wasn't sure he'd risk everything to go after him. After all, each agent was trained to look after themselves. He hoped that Leia was right about him being not far behind.   
  
Then, sure enough, Caylin came running up the alleyway behind them. Tando was with him. Randall raised an eyebrow. What was Tando doing with him? His parents never notified him that Tando would be with the infiltration team. He always knew the guy as a enemy insider, getting information straight from the source. He gave Leia a sideways glance and she shrugged, as if she was thinking the same thing.   
  
Caylin approached, panting to catch his breath. "Hey, guys," he said. "Tando's coming with us. Your Dad says he's an authority on all things BGB. And your Mom just says you need him as backup."   
  
Randall half-rolled his eyes. "Figures," he said, regarding his mother's advice. His eyes set upon the awkward-looking, bird-like monster. "Well, um, welcome to the team Tando. Better keep up, 'cause we're not gonna wait for anyone."   
  
"Roger," Tando replied, saluting with a winged hand.   
  
Leia placed a hand on Randall's shoulder to get his attention and pointed to a faint trail of jeep tracks leading into the forest. He gave her a quizzical look, as if to say, 'yeah, what about it?'.   
  
"It's the road BGB agents use to get to their headquarters," she explained. "We follow those tracks, it'll lead us right back to where the main headquarters is. Plus it's in the Firey Forests - exactly where Tando reported from yesterday."   
  
"Yup, correct you are, miss," Tando replied.   
  
"You sure?" he asked.   
  
Leia smiled and nodded. "Positive, Randall. I've worked for them."   
  
Randall grinned back at her. "Okay, let's go," he said. "And, Caylin, let's stick together now, okay?"   
  
Caylin grinned sheepishly. "Sorry. Will do, Cap'n Boggs."   
  
With Randall leading the way, they made their way into the dense, decidious forest. Snow crunched slightly under their feet, leaving distinct footprints. They made their trek through the forest carefully, watching alertly for anything that could signal the presence of a BGB agent.   
  
The fading light gave them a small window of time to find the headquarters without having to do in the darkness of night. Randall picked up the pace a bit, glancing at the evergreens that dotted the landscape between barren skeletons of once-leafed trees. At least those would be good cover for them, if they happened to spot someone. Prickly - but good.   
  
Time went by in silence, as each member of the team listened to pick up the slightest sounds. Each knew it would be very dangerous if they were found out so close to the headquarters. Especially if they had a device such as the Super Scream Generator. With that they could be powering anything. The very thought made them all nervous - all except Tando.   
  
The drab-colored emu-monster followed a few steps behind the team, smiling to himself. Ohh, this was too good! And those idiots at the SSO had no idea he was against them! First, he convinced the goody-goody president to send his son on the mission. Then, he succeeded in coaxing them to send him along. Too easy. . .His boss would be proud.   
  
Through the silence, Caylin finally spoke. "So, uhm, why do they call these the 'Firey' forests? Why not a nicer name, like, say, the 'Pretty Evergreen Forests', or something of the sort?" he asked, leaning against one of the trees.   
  
"These trees are known to spontaneously burst into flames if aggitated," Leia said, a faint smile on her face upon seeing Caylin's calm expression change.   
  
Caylin's eyes widened a bit and jumped away from the tree. "Eek! Why didn't you say so before??"   
  
Leia smiled nonchalantly at him. "You never asked."   
  
Randall laughed lightly. Cute, caring, and intelligent. He couldn't ask for more in a girlfriend. . . ok, so maybe he could. . . but she fit the description almost perfectly. He smiled and motioned for them to pick up the pace.   
  
"C'mon you two," he said. "If we're gonna make if before nightfall, we gotta keep moving."   
  
Leia exchanged glances with Caylin and jogged to catch up with the rest of her team. She walked alongside Randall and he gave her a small half-grin, slipping his hand in hers as they walked. So far, there were no disturbances causing them to be nervous, so things became more casual among the friends. They were careful to stay on alert, nonetheless, knowing that things could change in meer seconds.   
  
Tando caught up with Caylin and put his wing around the gecko-monster's shoulders. "We've been walking for hours, aren't you tired?" he asked.   
  
"Well, maybe we haven't been walking for THAT long. . ." he replied reasonably. "But I am kinda tired. I think my feet have become footcicles."   
  
"Well, why don't you rest here for a few moments while I get us some branches to cover up our tracks?" Tando offered.   
  
Caylin looked doubtful. "What about Randall and -?"   
  
"Don't worry about it," he interrupted before Caylin could finish, eyeing the two love-lizards out of the corner of his eagle eye. "They can scout out ahead, we'll catch up soon as I've got the branches. Then we can snuff out the rest of this trail and confuse the enemy. Don't you think Randall would be proud of you for thinking of that?"   
  
"Uh, yeah, but, um. . .YOU thought of it," Caylin said truthfully, running a hand through his arc of dirty blonde hair.   
  
"So, what? You're helping me. That counts right?" Tando pushed further.   
  
"Well. . .I guess so-"   
  
"Great!" Tando replied, sitting Caylin down on a rotten tree stump. "I'll be right back and we can start."   
  
As he ran off into the brush, Caylin rested his head on his hand. "He's awful pushy for such a little guy," he muttered, waiting for him to return as Randall and Leia got further and further from them.   
  
Oblivious to what was going on behind them, Randall and Leia began to catch sight of the little building that served as the entrance to the BGB. Randall smirked with satisfaction. They made it there not only before the sun completely set, but without any problems whatsoever.   
  
"Hey, boys, we've made -," Leia said in a hushed tone, looking behind her only to see. . .no one! She looked back at Randall. "They're not behind us."   
  
Randall took a quick glance over his shoulder only to see that she was right. He groaned lightly, smacking his forehead. "Not again. . ." he mumbled. "I told them to keep up! Not lag behind like a couple of slugs."   
  
"Maybe they saw something back there," she suggested.   
  
Randall pursed his lips and scanned the area. "Maybe. But aren't they supposed to alert US first, before they decide to go solo?" he said in frustration. This really wasn't the time for Caylin to be fooling around, nonetheless dragging Tando along with him. He sighed. "Okay, here's what we'll do. You and me sneak inside. I told them to catch up or be left behind and I'm making no exceptions. Once they catch up, they'll know what to do. They've been through all the training we have, so there shouldn't be any problems."   
  
"And I don't think your parents would want Caylin inside anyways," Leia smiled. "One - he's a bit of a klutz. And two - he's only an informant. The two of them can probably stake-out here until we get the information we need."   
  
Randall nodded. "Right. Now let's move our tails before someone spots us."   
  
Leia hooked a decoder to the code panel on the wall of the building and activated it. The decoder hacked into the controls and the door slid open. She smiled and stepped inside the elevator, inviting Randall to join her. Once the both of them had disappeared behind the closing doors, Tando watched intently behind the lush covering of an evergreen-like tree. An evil scheme halfway-completed ran through his mind; one down - two to go. Boy, was he going to get a raise for this!   
  
Tando pulled out his communications radio and dialed a red button on it. The emu-monster pressed it against his earhole, listening for the other end to pick up. Finally, Bruton's voice came through loud and clear, giving his loyal accomplice praise for getting the deed done without fault. Tando smirked widely. This kind of praise few BGB agents ever heard - especially from Bruton - who was a stickler for perfection and not to mention the most hot-tempered monster you could ever meet.   
  
"Thank you sir," Tando replied. "Everything's in place. Mr. Boggs and Ms. Kawaii are already entering the building." "  
  
What about the informant. . .er. . .Mr. Fisher was it?" came Bruton's gruff voice on the other end.   
  
"Uh, it's Swisher, sir."   
  
"Whatever."   
  
"Yup," Tando smirked. "He's already been taken out of action, we won't have to worry about him anymore. Are the agents ready?"   
  
One could tell there was a devious smirk on the BGB leader's face, just by listening to the tone of his voice. "Don't worry. I'll have the couple's little 'welcoming party' ready and waiting for them. . ." he replied in a sinister tone. "Just keep an eye on them. Update us of their wherabouts."   
  
Tando nodded, though he knew Bruton couldn't see it from the other end. "No problem boss. I'll be joining them soon," he replied. "You can track us through the homing device on my communications radio. I don't think I'll be able to get a word in edgewise with them around anyways. Might think me suspicious." He laughed at his own joke.   
  
"Very good," Bruton commended him. "President Kilroy, signing off."   
  
Tando shut his radio off and hooked it back onto the pocket of his SSO shirt. It had been given to him by the SSO themselves, so such a radio wasn't anything to be suspicious of - that is, unless you were caught using it to phone the BGB. But he need not worry about that, his calls were always done seclusively. Luckily, the SSO hardly ever monitored their agents' calls either - especially when there was so much else to be done.   
  
The emu-monster then made his way to the BGB entrance and punched in the code to get inside, hoping he'd meet up with Randall and Leia. He straightened the collar of his shirt and disappeared behind the closing elevator doors.   
  
*******************************************************   
  
"You'd think with a place this big, they'd have bigger air ventalation shafts," Leia muttered, crawling on all fours behind Randall.   
  
Randall chuckled softly. "It may be cramped, but all the better for us," he replied.   
  
"Meaning. . .?" Leia asked.   
  
"They wouldn't suspect that we'd try to crawl through them," Randall concluded. "At least, I don't think so."   
  
Suddenly, they heard rustling in the shaft behind them. Randall stopped, making Leia do the same. Leia looked over her shoulder to see the faint shadow of a bird-like monster shuffling along behind them. She glanced at Randall.   
  
"Looks like Tando found us," Leia said.   
  
"Well, better him than a BGB agent," Randall reasoned, pushing on.   
  
Tando finally appeared from around the bend, panting a bit. "There you are! I'm so glad I found you guys!" he babbled, tailing Leia. "You won't believe what happened back there!"   
  
Randall didn't stop, a simple look of impatience crossed his face. Didn't an agent like himself know that part of being a spy was silence? He sighed, but suddenly paused, holding his breath. Had he heard footsteps below them?   
  
"Tando, be quiet!" he hissed.   
  
Voices. . .   
  
"Sounds like Bruton and Hunter," Leia whispered.   
  
Behind them, Tando reached a wing into his shirt pocket to push a blue button on his radio. It blinked in the dark, but Leia and Randall - luckily enough - didn't notice it in the cramped space. Randall pressed his earhole against the floor of the shaft, hoping he could catch a bit of the conversation. He listened in silence for a few moments before lifting his head up again.   
  
"They're talking about something called the 'Shockwave'," Randall whispered to his comrades. He was obviously interested. "Saying they'll destroy the whole town in an evening with it. I think we should follow them, they're going to a conference room to talk about it. Hunter says they'll have blueprints ready for Bruton when he gets there."   
  
"This could be our chance," Leia suggested. "Maybe we can snatch some information or maybe even a copy of the blueprints. I think I've heard them mention the 'Shockwave' on more than one occasion before I rejoined you guys. They say it's the ultimate weapon."   
  
"Well, then we should investigate," Tando agreed. "Perhaps they'll give us clues on where they're hiding your father's invention too, Mr. Boggs."   
  
"Just call me Randall, it's less. . .uh, formal," Randall replied, turning a corner in the maze of shafts.   
  
"Roger," Tando said, crawling on his wings and knees behind the two.   
  
Soon, they reached the conference room. It was pretty dimly-lit and many of the BGB's top agents were seated there, awaiting Bruton's arrival. Randall, Tando, and Leia quietly pressed against each other to peer through the grate of the ventalation shaft. They had a pretty good view from there. They weren't detected and they were positioned way above the table. It was perfect in the perspective that they could see everything that was being passed around or placed on it. A detailed blueprint sat on the end of the long table and it caught Randall's eye. Was that the one they were talking about?   
  
Randall elbowed Leia in the side gently and pointed to the blue paper. "See that?"   
  
Leia nodded. "Sure do. Are those the blueprints Bruton was talking about?" she asked.   
  
"Must be," Randall deducted, reaching into the pocket of his navy blue SSO shirt. "Maybe I can get a snapshot through these grates."   
  
"Just make sure the flash is off, or we're busted," Leia whispered as Randall gave a confirming nod in return.   
  
"Hey, is that one of the new Telescopic Cameras?" Tando asked, as Randall took a pen-sized device out of his pocket.   
  
Randall nodded again. "My parents decided it could be useful," he replied. "It's just a prototype, but I can deal."   
  
"They're making everything more travel-sized these days," Tando commented to no one in particular. "Pretty nifty."   
  
Randall lifted the viewing lens to his eye and pointed it through the gaps of the ventalation grate. He zoomed in as close as it would allow and took a few silent snapshots - and not a moment too soon. Everything quieted down in the room. Bruton had arrived to conduct the meeting. The rugged BGB leader sat heavily in his seat at the head of the table and spun the blueprints around to face his agents.   
  
"These, my friends, are the blueprints that will be our ticket to world domination," Bruton began dramatically. "And. . .now that we have the Super Scream Generator, it will now become a reality! A whole army of these, the SSO in shambles, and the President under serious threat will give me easy access to becoming the new Monstermerican President!"   
  
"And with this simple code. . ." Bruton slapped a paper down onto the table top. "The monster world is ours. . ."   
  
Shocked and delighted gasps filled the room, as agents of every shape and size took in this information. Up in the shaft, Leia lifted a hand to her lips, shock was written all over her face. She glanced at Randall, who seemed to be feeling the same way. All the same, he never took his eyes off of the paper Bruton slapped onto the table. On it was the word, 'RB-Unit3250'. So that was the code! It all came back to him now. His mind flashed through the word, trying to relate it to something. His father was always known for using significant, yet largely unexpected codes for his machinery. Perhaps it could give him useful information.   
  
Unit 3250. . .now why did that ring a bell? He trulled it over and over in his head. It finally hit him. His Scream Extractor was built using the same type of model! He didn't recall until now where he had gotten the brilliant idea that made the Scream Extractor so effective in collecting and utilizing screams. But he had been very observant as a little kid and unknowingly stored the images of his father building the Super Scream Generator in his mind. Having a photographic memory was very convenient at times. . .   
  
"Hey, guys, I think I know what Unit 3250 stands for," Randall finally said, looking at his comrades. "In fact, I'm positive. It's an energy efficient model that I used for my Scream Extractor. But I'm still figuring on what RB stands for. . ."   
  
"What's a 'Scream Extractor'?" Tando piped up, a puzzled expression on his face.   
  
"Long story. . ." Randall sighed, spotting Leia's pensive look out of the corner of his eye. "What is it?"   
  
"Randall," she asked, staring at the code setting on the table below them. "Aren't your initials RB?"   
  
"Yeah," he replied.   
  
"And so are your father's," she concluded. "So, perhaps it's simply Rayford's initials."   
  
Randall nodded. "Probably. I-" He suddenly stopped himself mid-sentence as Bruton spoke of something particularily interesting - a giant machine that they were to be duplicating. He had gotten a few split-second shots of the blueprints, but he never got around to seeing exactly what it was the BGB boss had created. T  
  
he large wall behind Bruton parted to reveal a F-117 Nighthawk type of aircraft. It was fairly small, black, and seemed to be a "stealth fighter" jet. Bruton himself decribed it as "small but deadly". It looked as if a couple of average-sized monsters could fit inside comfortably.   
  
"Say hello to the Shockwave," Bruton declared proudly, stepping aside so all could see. "This was the same aircraft we first tested on our dear 'friends' from the SSO. Their building was completely and utterly destroyed. Four levels - destroyed in meer minutes!"   
  
"So, why did you call it the 'Shockwave', sir?" one agent asked.   
  
"For the simple reason that it sends energy shockwaves through the ground, though the results are as if it had been demolished by a large bomb. The power can be adjusted for each explosion to fit the need," Bruton explained calmly. "Each one will have enough power to destroy a whole city the size of Monstropolis in one blast. . ."   
  
He paused for effect before continuing, capturing the full attention of all who were listening. "And it's all powered by the lovely invention made by our very own enemy - Rayford Boggs." - he smirked deviously at the mention of his name - "The Super Scream whatever will be permanently fixed into the master jet and from there transfers the energy to all of our copies now under construction in the below-ground hangar. AND it's invisible to radar!" Looks of approval and achievement floated around the table.   
  
"So, THAT'S why the whole place shook like it did and we didn't pick up anything," Leia breathed, quickly glancing back at Randall. "We've gotta dig further into this. I have a bad feeling things will get worse if we don't."   
  
Randall furrowed his brow, before looking back at Leia. "I think you're right. We've gotta get over to the hangar and take some more pictures," he said. "They must have accessable copies of this 'Shockwave' blueprints there. Besides, we wouldn't have a chance trying to swipe it from the conference room without someone noticing."   
  
"Let's go," Leia agreed.   
  
Tando, who had stayed quiet through all this, was busy checking his communications radio. The blue button he had pushed wasn't working anymore! Worst of all, it was his tracking device. And now Randall and Leia were making their way - unhindered - towards the BGB hangar with top secret information and pictures! This was REALLY not going according to plan. He knew if he didn't do something fast, it would be the end of the line for him. He'd be booted out of the BGB! Or worse!   
  
The emu-monster pretended to hit his head on the top of the shaft, making a loud metallic clang. Below, all of the agents stopped to listen - especially Bruton. Bruton saw feathers sticking out of the grate above the middle of the table and immediately knew what had gone on. If Tando was with those two SSO brats, then they must have heard everything! Why didn't his men tell him they had picked up the signal?? He slammed his fist on the button next to his seat to close the wall behind him and stood up.   
  
He fumed. "Intruders in the ventalation shaft!!" he cried, pointing up at the grate built into the ceiling. "Annihilate them!"   
  
Back inside the shaft, Randall and Leia abruptly spun around to stare at Tando. "What happened?!?" Randall hissed.   
  
"They know we're here," Leia said nervously, shooting an annoyed glance at Tando.   
  
Tando rubbed his head, looking as clueless as possible. "I don't know, I just hit my head is all!"   
  
_*BANG!*_   
  
A bullet shot a hole through the bottom of the shaft, flying only inches from Leia's hand. She lifted it out of the way just in time and shot Randall a panicked expression. "Move!!"   
  
_*BANG* *BANG* *BANG*_   
  
More shots rained in, making hole after hole in the bottom of the shaft. Tando scrambled out of the way of one, which shaved a few feathers off of his tail. Randall and Leia wasted no time in scrambling out of shooting range.   
  
_*BANG* *POW* *BANG* *BANG*_   
  
Bullets exploded around them as they made their desperate scramble for safety. Tando was way behind and bullets continued their relentless shower up at him. Tando made a squawk as another shaved against his wing and Randall forced himself to stop for a second.   
  
"Randall, what are you doing??" Leia asked in shock, a bullet flying past her head.   
  
Randall glanced over his shoulder at the struggling Tando. He sighed. Was it that he was getting soft-hearted? Or was it that he couldn't watch another agent be made into mince meat by the shots? He set his jaw with determination and turned around, crawling past Leia. She gaped. He wasn't really going to do this was he? She knew better. Randall was a risk-taker.   
  
_*BANG* *BANG*_   
  
"I can't just leave 'im there!" Randall called over the noise in response to Leia's shock. "You go!"   
  
"Not again. . ." Leia sighed to herself. But this was his decision and she wasn't going to argue. Leia began to move away. "Okay, be careful!"   
  
She disappeared around the bend and Randall grabbed Tando's wing, pulling him out of the way just as part of the shaft fell out from under Tando's spot. It fell to the table, ceiling and all. Tando collapsed onto the solid part, barely having made it and crawled desperately away from the open area. Randall pushed him along, trying to make the bird speed up so that they'd both still make it out in one piece. The shaft ductwork looked like swiss cheese by now.   
  
Suddenly, another section of shaft began to give way. Randall felt the shaft floor below him lurch downward. He gave Tando a hard shove before it finally fell out from under his feet. . . 


	11. Dodging Danger

**Dangerous Secrets   
by Joy**   
  
NOTE: The new male character to soon make an appearance (Justin Midnight) is copyright of my little brother, Jason. Siarra Dessart is copyright of Gabby-Damioh. Both characters cannot be used without permission of their respective creators.   
  
*********************************************************

  
  
**Chapter Eleven - Dodging Danger**   
  
Randall managed to grab onto the edge of the shaft as the slab of ceiling and metal scrap fell to the table below, a single hand keeping him from falling directly in front of the furious BGB leader. He let himself breathe again, thankful that he had been able to grab hold of the shaft. Randall saw Tando looking down at him pensively and he reached a hand out to him.   
  
"Tando," he breathed. "Help me!"   
  
Tando took a quick glance from him to the agents below and decidedly turned around, following the path Leia had gone. Randall slipped a bit hanging onto the ledge again to keep from falling off. He stared at his comrade in disbelief. He was just going to. . .to. . .leave him there? After what he had did for Tando? It didn't make sense.   
  
Every agent in the room paused to stare at Randall, surprised to see such a prize just fall right out of the shaft above them. They didn't wait for the signal. Immediately, every one raised their guns at his swaying body. Bruton glared at the familiar sight. Why was it that the Boggs family were always right on his tail? Every time he turned around, there stood one. It seemed that he couldn't get away from them! He wanted that to end. Bruton reached into his belt and pulled out a lazer gun.   
  
Up in the shaft, Leia was moving along. Tando was right behind her. But she was taking her sweet time. They were well out of danger, but she still wanted to make sure her boyfriend could catch up. Leia was certainly not going to leave him behind. Not for anything. Suddenly, she stopped when she heard Bruton yelling out orders below them.   
  
"I want him shot!" he was saying.   
  
The squeaking of rubbery scales on metal reached her ears and she immediately knew Randall was in trouble. Leia turned around and crawled hurriedly past Tando. Tando put a wing out to stop her.   
  
"What are you doing??" he asked in shock. "We're safe. Just leave him! It's no use risking our lives too."   
  
Leia looked at him long and hard. "I don't care," she replied. "He saved you back there, didn't he? So, why aren't you willing to do the same for him? I can't believe you just left him there!"   
  
A suspicion began to creep into her mind that there was more to Tando than they knew, but there wasn't time for questions now. Leia simply ignored him, trying to reach Randall before the agents did. She finally reached the ledge. Randall was trying desperately to pull himself up as gunshots began to rain in around his body, each narrowly missing his moving figure. Leia reached out and grabbed the collar of his SSO shirt, hauling him back into the shaft with her.   
  
Randall was panting as the both of them crawled off to safety. They were met by Tando, who had waited for them around the bend. Leia finally took in a deep breath of relief, looking over her shoulder to make doubly sure that Randall was okay. He was tired and obviously a bit shaken up by the event, but other than that there wasn't a scratch on him.   
  
"I'm glad you're okay. . ." Leia told Randall.   
  
Randall smiled faintly. "Yeah, I am too," he chuckled.   
  
Leia smiled back, glancing at the silent Tando, who sat across from them. He had a distant look in his eyes, as if he was sitting there pondering something. Randall looked at him too and gave him an angry glare. The hurt in his eyes said it all. Tando found that he couldn't meet his gaze.   
  
"Tando. Why didn't you help me?" Randall asked. "Don't you know I could have been killed back there?"   
  
"Well. . .I. . I. ." Tando stuttered pathetically. He had no answer.   
  
Randall sighed, looking down at the floor of the shaft and shook his head. Sure, the SSO rule book said that an agent should be able to watch out for him or herself. But it said nothing about leaving a fellow agent who was in danger - if you could help it. He didn't know what to think of this guy now. Was he really on their side like he said he was? He was beginning to seriously doubt it. Randall made a mental note to keep a closer eye on Tando as they continued onward. He hoped to catch a hint that would, at least, tell him why he was acting the way he did.   
  
Leia began crawling through the shaft again and turned around to look at them. "I think we should keep going," she said. "The underground hangar isn't far from here. Probably only a few turns away. And we sure don't want Bruton and the gang finding us."   
  
"Or pulling any stunts," Randall added, getting up on all eights and following her.   
  
Tando slowly crawled behind them. He was in deep thought. What would have happened to him if he fell to the conference table, having failed in completing his mission? He knew full-well Bruton would have had him shot. If it wasn't for Randall. . .   
  
Tando sighed deeply. His mind was stuck in the middle. Randall had saved his life, yet he was with the BGB. Of course, HE didn't know that, but that left his mind a puzzle. He finally shoved the controversial thoughts to the back of his mind and focused on keeping up with the group. . .   
  
********************************************************************   
  
"Thanks for the lousy accommodations!" Caylin yelled at a BGB guard who was leaving the room. "And the food's iffy too!"   
  
Caylin was down in the Bad Guy Bureau dungeons. At least, that's what he liked to call it. He was locked up in a tiny little cell. There was no running water, the floors were filthier than his apartment, and one would be afraid to be smushed by a falling piece of ceiling.   
  
Frankly, he wouldn't be surprised if the cell door fell off of it's hinges in a few days. That's what his 'Plan A' escape was. He'd wait for erosion to very slowly break him outta there. Either that or he'd wait for a piece of the ceiling to fall on the guard and snatch his keys. But he figured that would be unlikely anytime soon.   
  
Caylin took his hands off of the cell bars and turned around, folding his arms. "Jerks. . ." he muttered, staring at the food plate the guard had set on the floor. It was some moving, green slop that Caylin swore he wouldn't even feed to a pig.   
  
"One of these days I'm going to demand to talk to the chef," Caylin told himself, sitting on the rickety, old bed. It collapsed under him in a cloud of dust. He folded his arms. "And I'm going to talk to whoever maintains this place too. . ."   
  
Caylin stood up and pushed the plate of food aside with his foot. "I'm never listening to Tando ever again," he grumbled to himself, since there was no one else in the room. "What a fake. I betcha he hauls Randall and Leia in here too. Then - when he does - I'm gonna kick his tailfeathers! I'm gonna-" He suddenly stopped, hearing strange noises outside his cell. Maybe it was the guard.   
  
He blinked and looked around the cell. He was determined to make his getaway now, whether he knew how or not. He finally spotted the broken leg of the bed he was sitting on and picked it up. He held it over his shoulder, ready to hit a homerun with it if need be. Yup, he was getting out alright and not even the trained guard was going to stop him.   
  
The sound was coming closer. . .   
  
Caylin snuck close to the bars and held the 'baseball bat' over his head. Suddenly, a figure jumped down from one of the small skylights in the ceiling and landed gracefully on the floor outside his cell. Caylin paused for a moment. He couldn't see who it was. The shadows of the dark prison overshadowed the monster's features. It was already night outside and that made visiblility in the prison even more difficult.   
  
"W-who goes there!" Caylin began, trying to hide the nervousness in his voice but failing miserably at it. He still held the wooden bed leg over head-level, just in case.   
  
"The name's Sid," the figure replied.   
  
"Sid?? Do I know any Sids?" Caylin asked himself, lowering the 'baseball bat' and scratching his head thoughtfully.   
  
"I was sent by the SSO," the monster continued, finally stepping out of the shadows into the moonlight. "They heard your call for help and sent me."   
  
Caylin stared at the monster to see that 'he' was a 'she'! Sid was a female gecko-monster, much like Caylin, with aqua scales. Green spots dotted her back and her underside was a creamy white. She looked at him with focused, grass-green eyes. Red bangs framed her facial features and the rest of her long, orange-streaked hair was tied back with an orange scrunchie. The feminine agent was wearing standard issue SSO uniform. Caylin was stunned, but for a much different reason.   
  
"They sent a GIRL to save me??" Caylin finally spat out. "Sid's a GIRL? Boy, they must really think I'm helpless. . .Probably laughing about me back at the ol' SSO headquarters. . ."   
  
Sid placed her hands on her hips and casually rolled her eyes. "And what's wrong with having a girl save you?" she asked. "What were you expecting? Lassie? I'm a Level 2 agent for your information, buddy. Now, do you want to get out of here or not?"   
  
Caylin wiggled a finger in her direction, eyeing her slightly. "Are you threatening me. . .?"   
  
The look on her face was enough of an answer for him. He shrugged uselessly. "Yeah, I guess. . .What's you're REAL name anyways? I know Sid's not it. Never heard of a gal named Sid."   
  
Sid smirked a bit. "Siarra Dessart," she told him. "Yours?"   
  
"Caylin Swisher," he said, smiling a bit sheepishly. "Er, thanks for coming to my 'rescue'." He accented the final word with his fingers. She gave him a pert nod before getting to work on the lock.   
  
Caylin knew he could have done it without her. Okay. . .maybe not. Perhaps it was just the fact that he hated looking so helpless all the time. Sure, he was physically challenged. Caylin knocked over every hurdle in the obstacle course back at headquarters. The other agents didn't. And he, unfortunately, wasn't very brave either - definately not Randall material. No matter how many times he had tried to get into the guy's brain, he couldn't figure out how Randall got so utterly fearless all the time. But, at least, Caylin was resourceful. He had that going for him. It may not have gotten him out of his cell, but it was useful in other situations.   
  
Finally, Siarra successfully picked the lock and the cell door swung open. She stepped aside, letting him walk out. He grinned and gave her a nod. "Not bad, Siarra," he admitted.   
  
"It was a sinch," she said, smiling. "I do it all the time. Besides, it looked like that door was about to fall apart anyways."   
  
"Yeah, tell me about it," Caylin muttered, smiling back. "But I've really got something to tell you, though. It's about Tando Tyler. . ."   
  
***********************************************************   
  
Back in the ventalation shaft, the three SSO agents moved on in silence. Leia was busy listening for the sounds produced by the BGB hangar. She had been there many times before and knew the familiar clanging of tools on metal and the hissing of the welding torch. Randall looked though occasional grates that they passed by, also actively looking for the building's hangar.   
  
Just then, the hallway loudspeaker crackled to life. "Attention all BGB agents," said Bruton's booming voice. "Three enemies are loose in the ventalation system. If anyone sees them, shoot first - ask questions later."   
  
The trio exchanged glances. Tando stared through the grate below in disbelief. He said that there were THREE agents. He was the only other one with them. Realization suddenly dawned on him. Bruton now considered him worthless??   
  
It all began to make sense. Bruton already knew where his main targets, Randall and Leia, were and he would soon have them. That meant that he no longer had any use for Tando other than an additional victim for the BGB's target practice. He seethed inside. After all he had done for that rotten leader. . .   
  
His thoughts were interrupted by another announcement. It was Bruton again. "Oh, and all agents are to report to the underground hangar immediately," he ordered. "There should be an assigned Shockwave aircraft for every three of you. Tonight we make our test-run on Monstropolis. Today, Monstropolis - tomorrow, the world!" He signed off with a wave of evil laughter and the loudspeakers were once again silent.   
  
Randall looked at his two comrades, his fronds laying back with concern. "We've got to find that hangar now," he said, a hint of urgency in his voice. "And not for papers this time."   
  
"Lemme guess," Tando said flatly. "You've 'got a plan'?"   
  
"Yeah," Randall replied, eyeing him sternly. "Since you're so 'excited' about it, why don't you just hang back here and let the BGB catch you?"   
  
Leia furrowed her brow, noting Tando's anything-but-eager reaction. She knew for sure something was up now. "What's with you, Tando? You're on our side aren't you? So why don't you. . ."   
  
Leia suddenly stopped mid-sentence as it dawned on her. She glared at him now. "You're a double-agent!"   
  
Randall was stunned by this realization and immediately grabbed Tando's communications radio. Tando tried to grab it back. "Hey! Leave that alone!"   
  
He ignored Tando and pressed the 'redial' button on it, holding it to his earhole. He made a final attempt to snatch it out of his hands, but Leia firmly restrained him. Randall heard the other end pick up and an aggitated voice came from the other end.   
  
"What now, Tando?!" Bruton demanded over the phone.   
  
_'He called Bruton. . .?'_ he thought. Randall immediately hung up and accusingly poked the emu-monster in the chest with the radio's antenna. "You're with them! Tando, how could you? This was all just a set-up, wasn't it?!"   
  
Tando meekly nodded.   
  
"I can't believe it!" he exclaimed, throwing the radio down a decending passage in the shaft. "Bruton knew we were here all along, didn't he? And you were gonna lead us right to him!"   
  
He growled, looking away. Randall couldn't help feeling that this mistake was his fault. It made him angry with himself to think that they were revealed, all because of his poor foresight. Things were already getting pretty suspicious when Tando and Caylin disappeared. He felt that he should have gone on his instincts. Then maybe they wouldn't have been in such a situation. Speaking of Caylin. . what had Tando done with him anyways? Where was he? He glared at Tando again.   
  
"Where's Caylin? What have you done with him?" Randall demanded.   
  
Tando took a deep breath, finally having decided to talk. "I captured Caylin and handed him over to the BGB," he said. "He's probably in one of the prison cells on Floor D2."   
  
Leia let go of Tando and folded her arms. "Great," she sighed sarcastically. "What do you think we should do with him, Randall?"   
  
Randall didn't want to make another mistake with this guy. "We're taking him with us," Randall decided. "We can keep an eye on him here. It's better than having him run off and tell Bruton our whereabouts, that's for sure."   
  
"But then there's still the matter of rescuing Caylin," Leia added. "Maybe I should head off in that direction and break him out. Then we can meet up in the hangar."   
  
"No, I need you with me," Randall said. "I can call for backup right before we leave the hangar."   
  
Leia nodded, looking at Tando sternly. "You're coming with us, got it?"   
  
Tando nodded flatly. "Got it."   
  
With that they began moving quickly, inching ever-closer to the infamous underground hangar. Soon, the sounds of machinery reached their ears. Jets taking off roared and resonated through the shafts. Leia grabbed a tool and began prying the secured grate off of the side of the shaft. "This should only take a few seconds," she said, wedging the tool under the seal. With a swift jerking motion, she had broken the seal and the grate fell off, clattering onto the floor.   
  
"You don't think they heard that did they?" Tando asked.   
  
Randall's voice became cynical before climbing out of the shaft. "I don't know, Tando. You tell us."   
  
Leia was more gentle with her response. "With the sounds of those jets taking off, I don't really think they would hear something like that," she reassured him.   
  
To her, Tando now looked genuinely sorry about betraying them like he did. He seemed much meeker then he was before Randall's rescue. She felt sympathetic towards him. After all, he did willingly answer all their questions when they cornered him back in the shaft. Leia held out a hand to him and Tando - at first - hesitated, but he finally took her hand and she helped him out of the shaft.   
  
They stood among several large shelves. Each one was stocked up with aircraft parts - stolen, no doubt. Randall peeked around the shelves at the open area of the hangar. The smooth, concrete floor slanted at an incline up to an opening in the roof. Shockwave jets were roaring out into the cool night air, sometimes three at a time. Randall wasn't quite sure if his split-second plan was going to work, but he really didn't have any other choices at the moment. He looked around the workshop, as if trying to find something.   
  
"What are you looking for?" Leia asked.   
  
"We have a double-agent of our own assigned to the BGB," Randall said. "They said all agents must report to the hangar, so he must be around here somewhere. The only problem is, heh, I've never met him. So, I'm not too clear on what he looks like."   
  
Before Leia or Tando could respond, an agent waved them over. He was a weasel/otter like monster with blue eyes. The monster had jet black fur with a white belly. Only a small tuft of fur between his ears served as hair. This guy was also unusually short compared to the rest of them, barely under four feet tall, in fact. He wore a BGB uniform, but swore he was all SSO agent. After briefly introducing themselves, the otter-monster - Justin - led them over to another corner of the hangar.   
  
"So, um, Mr. Midnight," Leia began, following the short monster.   
  
"Just call me Justin," he chuckled. "I'm not that high-ranking."   
  
"Okay, Justin," Leia compromised. "Where are we going?"   
  
Randall got a smug smile on his face. "I was hoping Justin could hook us up with-"   
  
"One of these," Justin interrupted, patting the wing of an extra Shockwave jet. "It's ready to go."   
  
"But, Randall, you don't know how to fly a jet!" Leia replied in shock. "And, not to mention, the last time you drove that motorcycle we nearly hit a CDA van."   
  
"It wasn't a CDA van, it was a truck. But that's off the subject," Randall replied. "I think I can do it. I'll give the manual a quick overview before trying anything, I promise."   
  
"You really think you can learn that fast?" Tando asked skeptically.   
  
"I dunno," he replied. "But I'm gonna give it a try. I mean, c'mon guys! What other choice do we have? They're moving out to do test-runs on Monstropolis. Do you really think we're just gonna sit by and watch?" He pressed a green button on his communications radio and it blinked. "I'm sending an emergency message to my dad. At least, it'll give them a heads-up before Bruton and company arrive."   
  
"You know what? You're nuts," Tando commented.   
  
"Well, at least he's got a plan," Leia countered, turning to her boyfriend. "I'm with you, Randall."   
  
"Hey, you didn't let me finish," Tando added, a slight smile forming on his beak. "You're not going without helmets either. I can get you a couple of them."   
  
"You mean you're not coming?" Leia asked.   
  
Tando walked over to a rack nearby and picked out two jet fighter pilot type helmets for them. He walked over to the two lizard-monsters and placed a helmet in their hands. He grinned at Leia and shook his head in response to her question. "No," he replied. "I think I have a few things to reconsile with my comrades in the BGB. Let's just say I'm dropping out. Maybe you'll see me in the SSO for real now."   
  
Randall blinked, slipping the helmet onto his head. His fronds stuck out of holes in the top. "You mean you're really quitting the Bad Guy Bureau?" he asked, now realizing this guy was serious about turning a new leaf.   
  
Tando nodded slightly. "Yeah," he said. "I'm sure Bruton's not gonna want to have anything to do with me after you guys make off with my jet, anyways." He grinned, patting Randall on the shoulder. "Good luck. Go kick Bruton's tail for me. Deal?"   
  
Randall laughed. "Deal."   
  
Justin was helping Leia get up into one of the two passenger seats. She too had a helmet on her head. Justin jumped down and handed Randall the manual. "You're gonna need this," he said. "Oh, and by the way, I heard your friend - Caylin - broke out only minutes ago. He's on his way back to the SSO to assist with the counter-attack."   
  
"Great news to hear, Justin," Randall replied, seating himself in the pilot's seat of the jet. He flipped though the manual for a few moments before turning his attention back to the otter-monster. "Thanks. I'll tell my dad you deserve high marks for saving this thing for us."   
  
Leia smiled, strapping herself securely in her seat. "Yeah, it's a wonder Bruton didn't notice it setting over here."   
  
Justin stepped back a fair distance and waved. "No problem, call me if you have any problems!"   
  
Randall let his eyes scan over the numerous controls on the panel in front of him. Thank goodness he had a manual! The only thing he really recognized was the control stick. Driving a monster motorcycle - not bad. Driving a human truck - okay. Flying a fighter jet - good luck. He sighed, trying to remember what it said in the manual. He flipped a few switches and, luckily, both engines turned on like they were supposed to. The jet now coasted smoothly down the concrete surface towards the open door. So far, so good.   
  
"Hang on, Leia," Randall warned, putting the visor down on his helmet. "I have the feeling this is not gonna go over too easily."   
  
"That's funny, I was having the same feeling," she replied, looking over Randall's shoulder at the runway ahead. "Not that your driving is terribly bad, Randall, but it just makes me nervous that you've never flown an aircraft before."   
  
"Well, there's a first time for everything," Randall resorted. "Unless you think you could do a better job."   
  
"No, you be my guest," Leia replied. "I really do think you'd be more capable at this than me. My specialty is martial arts - not flying."   
  
The jet slowly picked up speed as it neared the open door. But as they got increasingly closer, it suddenly began to close again. Randall groaned. Not now. Why'd it have to close now? Leia's eyes widened as she watched from behind him. She knew they weren't gonna make it between there - especially since Randall wasn't exactly a trained fighter pilot. Heck, he didn't even try lifting off yet. They were either going to hit the closed door like a car test run or they'd be crushed like a tin can!   
  
"Do something!" Leia exclaimed. They were dangerously close to smashing into the closed doors.   
  
Randall, meanwhile, was in a panic trying to find something on the control panel that could help them. He was coming up empty. Then something he saw in the manual came to mind. He smirked confidently and pressed a red button on top of the control stick. An energy wave radiated from the front of the aircraft and blew the door to pieces. He pulled back on the control stick gradually and conducted a shaky, but successful take-off. They were airborne!   
  
Leia excitedly wrapped her arms around Randall's neck. "You did it! You really did it, Randall!" she cheered, letting him go. "That was amazing!"   
  
Randall smiled. "It was. . .uh, no problem," he exaggerated, grinning. Sure, it was no easy feat. He himself thought they were gonna crash. But his ego got the better of him this time - factoring in the fact that he was also trying to impress his new girlfriend.   
  
The jet soared off into the night, the group of a dozen other Shockwaves right ahead of them as they neared Monstropolis. . . 


	12. Fight in the Sky

**Dangerous Secrets   
by Joy**   
  
NOTE: Thanks a bunch for all the wonderful reviews people! Especially my most loyal supporters: Gabby-Damioh, Golden Eyed Falcon, C-chan, and Sean Fogle. I won't let any of you down for this chapter - hopefully it will be just as action-packed as you've been expecting! ~_^   
  
I've also concretely decided on what my third story is gonna be (finally). You'll get details after the end of this story, I promise. It should be made of the same uniqueness and excitement my stories have become known for. Perhaps you'll even see the next generation of Boggs! *wink*wink*   
  
*********************************************

  
  
**Chapter 12 - Fight in the Sky**   
  
"I don't believe my son's going after Bruton alone. . ." Rayford sighed worriedly, shaking his head.   
  
It was in the jungle training room that the previous generation of Boggs had heard the news of Randall's bold move to save his hometown. This news was, frankly, a big worry to his parents - who were already banding the remaining SSO agents together to conduct a counter-attack. Rayford stood by the training room exit, monitoring agents as they made their way out to man their battleships. Caylin, Siarra, and Naomi were with him.   
  
"He's not alone," Caylin corrected him. "Leia's there too."   
  
Naomi gasped. "She's with him too?"   
  
Caylin nodded.   
  
"That isn't enough to take on Bruton!" Rayford replied.   
  
His mind was racing. Why, oh why, did he send his son on such a mission? He suddenly began to regret having sent a new recruit on a big mission - especially since that new recruit was his son. And now Bruton was going to kill them. If Randall did anything drastic to stop the attack, there was no doubt he'd come back dead. He was worried. He was really worried.   
  
"Should Caylin and I hop in one of the Stealth Hawks, sir?" Siarra asked. "We could fly out there in seconds flat and serve as back-up if anything happens."   
  
Caylin nodded. "I'm ready for action, just say the magic words, Mr. Boggs," he said, saluting.   
  
Naomi folded her arms. "Rayford, you're not going to send them out after our son alone," she said. "Bruton will get rid of them."   
  
Siarra put her hand on her hip. "Well, um, no effence Mrs. Boggs, but I think I can handle him," she said.   
  
"No, my wife is right," Rayford replied. "Naomi, can you take over for me?"   
  
Naomi was stunned. "Take over? Why?" she asked. By the look on his face, she immediately knew exactly what he was thinking. "Oh no. . .Ray, you're not. . ."   
  
Rayford set his jaw and nodded in reponse. "Yes, I am," he replied, his voice softening as he took Naomi's hands in his. "No one else knows Bruton like I do. And it's for our son. There's no better reason than that. If I don't go I doubt he'll make it out alive."   
  
Naomi looked away for a moment, as if thinking over the consequenses, before meeting his eyes again. "You're right. . ." she finally gave in. "But, please, be careful. Last time you and Bruton squared off it sent you to the hospital for a month. . ."   
  
"Ouch. . ." Caylin added.   
  
"I'll be okay," Rayford tried to reassure her, smiling to ease her tension. "I've learned from that experience."   
  
"Well, I sure hope you did. I'm just worried is all," Naomi replied, matching his smile and kissing him on the cheek. "But you vcan count on me to hold down the fort for you."   
  
Rayford returned the gesture and gave her hand a final pat. "Thanks honey," he said, turning to Caylin and Siarra. "And as for you two. You're coming with me. I'm going to need a capable hand to help me with the flying and someone to make communication with my son's jet."   
  
"I'm the girl for the job, Mr. Boggs," Siarra replied.   
  
"And I'm the guy for the job!" Caylin added, chuckling. "Everyone says I talk too much anyways. . .Might as well make it my job."   
  
Rayford grinned. "Great, we'd better get a move-on," he said, jogging up the stairs towards what remained of the desolated SSO hangar. "Lucky we were able to save at least five of our best fighter jets."   
  
Naomi watched them disappear out the door and sighed, looking back at the line of agents getting ready for battle. She couldn't get one looming thought off of her mind. . ."I hope they come back. . ."   
  
***************************************************   
  
"So, Randall?" Leia asked. "What exactly is your plan for stopping a whole fleet of Shockwaves on your own?"   
  
They were speedily approaching the outskirts of Monstropolis. The moonlight shone in their path, which made following the fleet of jets much easier. Randall's mind seemed to be elsewhere at the moment, though. He seemed as if he were trying to think over his plan. The front window of the Shockwave revealed the other jets getting into formation. Maybe it helped them harness their power more effectively. Randall wasn't sure.   
  
Randall replied by picking the manual up and handing it to her over his shoulder. "Try to get as much as you can out of this," he said simply. "You're gonna need to take over for me."   
  
Leia took the manual and looked up at him in puzzlement. "That's your plan? You want me to fly?"   
  
Randall shook his head. "You're just going to have to take over," he said. "I'm not going to say anything about my plan just yet. I just noticed that they have listening devices in these jets. . .Not that I'm worried too much that they're listening in, I'm just taking precautions. This might be our only chance and I don't wanna screw up."   
  
"I see," Leia replied. "Say no more, Rand. I'm not the best pilot, but hey, I've always been willing to try something new."   
  
She laughed a bit, though she was nervous that SHE might be the one to screw up. She flipped though the pages dialoguing the basics of flying the new jet. It looked harder than the manual made it out to be, but she crammed as much information as she could into her head. Leia dropped the manual on the seat next to her and grabbed the extra control stick that was in the second seat.   
  
"You ready Leia?" Randall asked her. "I'm gonna transfer the control to you and take care of a few things. If you need more navagation there's a monitor built into the back of my seat - or so the manual tells me. . ."   
  
Leia grinned. "No problem," she said. "Transfer over."   
  
Randall pressed a button on the complicated-looking consule and flipped a switch. The control immediately flipped over to Leia's control stick and Randall let go of his. She seemed to be doing a fine job for a beginner, so he unstrapped himself and took of his helmet. He set it on the seat. Suddenly, his radio crackled to life.   
  
"Son, are you there? This is Rayford," came his father's voice.   
  
Randall immediately grabbed the radio and flipped it on. "Dad? Yeah, I'm here," he replied. "What is it? Me and Leia are kinda preoccupied right now."   
  
"What are you doing going after Bruton by yourself?" Rayford said in the typical 'worried father' tone.   
  
"Yeah! He's gonna blow you sky-high if he gets the chance, man!" came Caylin's voice in the background. "Where are you guys?"   
  
Randall glanced out the front window as they got closer to the Shockwaves. "We're right behind Bruton's fleet," he said. "And Dad, don't worry, I've got a plan. It won't include getting me killed. Randall Boggs, signing off."   
  
"What?! Randall, don't-"   
  
_*CLICK*_   
  
Leia looked up at Randall. "Perhaps you should listen to your Dad," she suggested gently.   
  
"My plan isn't the worst one," Randall said. "I'm almost positive that it'll work. All I have to do is find Bruton's jet, then dispose of him and that particular Shockwave."   
  
Leia was suddenly hit by, at least, part of his plan. "You mean destroy the main Shockwave? I see. . ." she began. "His jet is the source of all the rest of the Shockwaves' power, so destroying it would disable all of the others. Then they wouldn't be able to blow up Monstropolis. . ."   
  
Randall nodded with a smirk. "I guess the spy genes I inherited from my parents are kicking in, eh?"   
  
Leia smiled and quickly looked down at the radar. She pinpointed Bruton's Shockwave. Luckily, they were nearing it. "Bruton's jet is only a few meters from ours," she said.   
  
"Good," Randall grinned. "Pull up as close as you can to it."   
  
Leia nodded. "Will do, Randall."   
  
She breifly increased their speed and soon they found themselves flying right next to Bruton's aircraft. Randall hit a button on the main control panel and the roof slowly slid open. Leia watched, not shocked to see him trying to do such a thing. Since meeting him, she had learned to expect the unexpected from Randall. He usually calculated the risk before trying it, so she didn't object. If he was doing it carelessly, she would have thought differently. But Leia was confident in his skills by now. That didn't keep her from worrying, however. She knew how dangerous the BGB leader could be. . .   
  
Randall climbed out onto the short, triangle-shaped wings, using the sticky pads under his feet and hands. "Try and keep it steady, Leia," he said. "I don't think things would be particularily great if the jet was wobbling around. Okay?"   
  
Leia smiled. "Don't worry, I'll do my best," she said. "Good luck."   
  
Randall returned the gesture and nodded, gradually making his way over to Bruton's jet. He made a small jump over to it and felt relieved to have made it. He was thankful for the suction pads he had. Without them, he was sure that he'd fall off. He glanced through the side window of the Shockwave and noted that Bruton hadn't realized that he had extra cargo - yet. Randall crawled over to the back of the Shockwave. There, he knew, they had built the main section of inner workings.   
  
He began to unscrew the panel. If his plan went well, he would blow Bruton's Shockwave sky-high. The only downside would be that his dad's ingenious invention would be destroyed. But it would be way too risky to try and save it. Randall finally managed to take the panel off. Inside was a maze of wires and high-tech microchips. He had to look them over for a moment, before deciding what to do.   
  
"Aw, c'mon. . .Where is it??" Randall muttered, digging through the various wires.   
  
Suddenly, an invisible blast hit the jet. It wobbled and shook in the air and Randall quickly looked over his shoulder. There was another Shockwave. He didn't see that one. Another invisible shockwave slammed into Bruton's jet. Randall swore if this kept up, Bruton's own men would knock him out of the sky - unfortunately taking himself with it.   
  
"Hey! You idiot! Why are you hitting my jet!?!" Bruton roared through his radio from inside the cockpit.   
  
The radio crackled. "Sir, one of da Boggs is messing wit yer system! Looks like he's tryin' ta knock ya down," came the reply, loud and clear.   
  
"Boggs. . .?" Bruton growled.   
  
Randall heard all of this from the back of the jet and he knew he was busted. "Aw, the heck with finding the yellow wires!"   
  
He moved back a bit and took out a lazer gun he carried in his SSO shirt. He aimed it steadily at the open panel and fired. It exploded in flames and the Shockwave began to wobble terribly in the sky. It was only a matter of moments before the whole aircraft would blow.   
  
The radio crackled on inside the cockpit again. "Er, he jus' blew out yer controls," came the voice again.   
  
Randall felt another shockwave of energy hit the back of the jet - stronger this time. He tried to hang on, but it was strong enough to throw him off of the jet. He tumbled though the air, free falling to the city below as Bruton's aircraft continued sputtering along overhead. At least, he had a parachute. . .   
  
Pulling the cord on his small backpack, he hoped it would open. Nothing happened. He pulled it again and it broke. Just wonderful. He began to get closer and closer to the ground. Randall couldn't look and closed his eyes. Suddenly, he felt himself fall onto something - and it wasn't the concrete! He instinctively grabbed on, slowly opening his eyes again. Leia had caught him?   
  
He looked through the Shockwave's window to see Leia briefly smiling up at him. Randall let out his breath in a sigh of relief. Thank goodness. . .The girl sure caught on fast and he was more than grateful for it. He gave her the thumbs-up to let her know he was alright and she inclined the jet upward towards the others.   
  
"Where's Bruton's jet?" Randall yelled over the noise of the jet engines.   
  
Leia pointed at the smoking aircraft up ahead. "He's right there! It looks like you did a good job!" she yelled back.   
  
"Yeah! But why isn't he going down?" Randall added, squinting to get a better look at the jet.   
  
"I just found out these things have a backup engine in their cores!" Leia replied. "They're protected from damage - unless we're able to give them a really devistating hit!"   
  
Randall climbed towards the cockpit again and climbed in, closing the roof behind him. He grinned. "Then that's what we'll give 'im," he said. "I'm gonna transfer the control back over to me. You watch the monitors."   
  
Leia nodded. "Roger."   
  
Randall reversed the control and flew up right into the thick of the formation, pulling up through the clouds until they were right behind Bruton. Some of the Shockwaves were already destroying some buildings and homes, so he knew they had to act fast. He picked up the radio with one of his hands.   
  
"Give it up, Bruton," Randall said. "Your main engine is down and we are fully able to annihilate your spare. Don't make us shoot you out of the sky."   
  
Bruton's voice crackled over the radio. "YOU! How in the heck did you get one of MY Shockwaves?!"   
  
"Just answer the question, Bruton," Randall replied sternly. "Would you rather be arrested or blown out of the sky? It's your choice."   
  
"You won't catch me without a fight! Blast me out of the sky. . .if you can," Bruton answered, signing off with evil laughter.   
  
"You know," Leia said. "I really don't think he's sane." She laughed a bit.   
  
"I don't think many villians like him are," Randall joked, chuckling. "Looks like we'll have to blast him."   
  
Randall raised the power on the energy blasters and set his aim to the exact core of the Shockwave. But before he could do anything, a devistating blast rocked the jet. Randall gripped the control stick, trying desperately to keep the jet from spiraling out of control. When it subsided somewhat, he gave a quick glance out the sideview mirror.   
  
"What in the world was that?!" he asked.   
  
Leia had a grave look on her face. "One of Bruton's thugs just hit our core engine. . ." she said.   
  
"Great," Randall said sarcastically, still struggling just to keep the jet steady. "Who's the jerk?"   
  
"Looks like Hunter and Sloop," Leia replied, trying to look out the back window.   
  
Randall and Leia suddenly heard an explosion - and it wasn't Bruton's jet. Smoke could be seen trailing out the back of their own jet. "Boy, they just love to stalk us, don't they?" Randall commented. "Look, Leia, you look for some parachutes. I'm gonna give Bruton's jet one last hit if I can."   
  
"I'm way ahead of you, Randall," Leia replied, quickly digging through compartments in the back.   
  
Randall tried to shoot Bruton's jet, but only a weak shockwave eminated from the front, indicating that they really had been badly damaged. He sighed with frustration. His idea was really not working like he had planned. . .and now Bruton was going to get away with destroying Monstropolis.   
  
Just as he was about to give up, another jet came out of the clouds and gave Bruton's jet a killer hit. The jet blew up within seconds afterwards. It looked just like the Stealth Eagles that his dad had showed him back at the SSO. His face brightened to see his father in the pilot's seat. Caylin and a female agent seemed to be with him. He waved towards them with one hand, trying to get their attention. They didn't seem to notice.   
  
"Randall, we don't have any parchutes. . ." Leia said with dread. "They must have taken some to stock up the others or something."   
  
"Perfect. Just perfect. . ." Randall sighed. "Okay. . .Here's what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna try to land this thing somewhere. It's our only chance. That jet that just hit Bruton's Shockwave - my father's in there with Caylin and some gal. Call him up on the radio and get his attention. We're gonna need all the help we can get. . ."   
  
Leia immediately picked up the radio and clicked it on. "Rayford! Me and Randall are in the burning Shockwave jet," she said urgently, not able to hide the fear in her voice. "We're going down. We need some kind of help now!"   
  
The radio crackled to life. "Leia?" Rayford replied. "You and Randall are in that Shockwave??! Aren't there any parachutes in there?"   
  
"No, I can't find any! Randall's going to try landing somewhere," Leia answered. "Can you help us? Randall's never flown before, so I'm more than a little worried about this. . ."   
  
"I think trying to land might be the best choice," Rayford replied, uncertainty in his voice. "Son? Can you hear me?"   
  
Randall nodded a bit. "Yeah, I can," he said. "Dad, we're going down fast!"   
  
"Take it easy on the stick and try and keep the nose up, it'll be a less disastrous crash that way," Rayford dictated calmly, though one could tell there was a bit of a panic going on in his mind. "Hopefully anyways. I can't guarantee you what exactly will happen. Every aircraft handles differently."   
  
Inside the Stealth Hawk, Caylin held on to every word in the conversation. He was just as worried as Randall's father. This was a terrible situation for anyone to be in, nonetheless someone who had never flown before.   
  
"Be careful, Rand!" Caylin added.   
  
The radio crackled on. "I'm trying," came Randall's voice.   
  
"We're heading for a building, Rayford!" Leia said, her voice dulling. "And, unfortunately, I think it's the top floor of Monsters Inc. . ."   
  
"What?!?" Caylin exclaimed.   
  
Siarra grabbed the radio. "Listen guys, Siarra Dessart here," she said. "Try to find a window and go through it."   
  
Randall's voice came back on. "A window? Why??"   
  
"It's better than going through a wall, let me tell you," Siarra replied.   
  
"Yeah, listen to the girl," Caylin added. "She knows her stuff."   
  
"It looks like all wall from here. . ." Leia replied.   
  
"Dad! We've totally lost engine power and-"   
  
_*CRASH!*_   
  
The last they heard from the transmission was a loud, concrete crash before it fizzled out. The radio went blank. Not a single fizzle or crackle came out of the other end. Rayford's eyes widened and he tried one last time to contact them.   
  
"Randall? Leia? If you're still able to, pick up!" he said.   
  
The three waited in silence for a few moments. Nothing came. They had totally lost the connection. Caylin exchanged glances with Siarra. Rayford piloted the aircraft in shock for a few moments. The Shockwaves that had once flew in formation towards Monstropolis, destroying everything in sight were now turning and heading back to their headquarters, now virtually useless. He knew he didn't need to worry about them anymore. Surely his wife would have a majority of them arrested as soon as they landed.   
  
"We're going to Monsters Inc," Rayford finally told Caylin and Siarra. "My wife will take care of the BGB agents. . .But I must know what happened to my son. I hope you two understand."   
  
Siarra nodded respectfully. "No problem. We'll be there to help, sir," she offered. "Right Caylin?"   
  
Caylin nodded too. "Right."   
  
Rayford turned the Stealth Hawk in the direction of the Monsters Inc building. It descended down through the clouds, so that it was just over the city. The huge MI building loomed in the distance. A plume of smoke rose from the front of the building, close to the uppermost floor. CDA trucks surrounded the MI property and a lone CDA helicopter approached the damaged area of the building, surveying the damage. A giant hole where part of the black Shockwave stuck out was a clear indication that things had gone wrong. The sight pierced Ray's heart. He hoped they were, at least, alive. . . 


	13. Reason to Celebrate

**Dangerous Secrets   
by Joy**   
  
NOTE: Yup, this is the final chapter. . .And there will be a brief epilogue after this too. Glad you liked my last chapter and a third story should be on the way shortly after I've completely finished this one. I'll probably even add a little bio of the next generation of Boggs in the preview! ^_^   
  
Oh yes, and welcome back Gold Eyed Falcon! I'm glad to see you updating your stories again. *grin*   
  
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**Chapter Thirteen - Reason to Celebrate**   
  
Rayford skillfully landed his Stealth Hawk in the Monsters Inc parking lot. It lowered itself down to the parking lot vertically, thrusters from the underside of the jet easing it onto the concrete. It kicked up dust as it neared the ground and the wheels provided the jet with a soft landing. Ray cut the engines and the roof of the jet popped up.   
  
The three agents climbed out of the aircraft. They were met by the sight of CDA agents running around picking up jet pieces that had fallen to the ground and studying them. Others were gathering information from a very shocked Sulley and Mike. Ray motioned for Caylin and Siarra to follow him as he weaved around the working CDA members towards the company CEO and his buddy.   
  
"Hi guys!" Caylin called, waving to them.   
  
Sulley excused himself from the eager CDA agents and approached them. "Hi Caylin," he said, briefly looking at the other two monsters he had with him. "What brings you here?"   
  
Mike tore himself away from the crowd to join his big, blue buddy. "Hi Caylin. Whaddya know?" he began. "I'm having one of the most boring days of my entire life and then - WHAM - something like this happens. . ."   
  
Ray gave them a faint smile. "We've actually come to see the crash site."   
  
He held back from telling them that Randall and Leia were on the jet. He wasn't in the mood to answer all the questions he percieved they would give him once he explained about it. He also didn't want to worry them if they didn't already know. All he wanted was to know if his son was alright. Right now, his goal was focused on it.   
  
"I don't see why not," Sulley said, looking the purple lizard-monster over once more. "Hey, aren't you Rayford Boggs - Randall's dad?"   
  
Ray nodded. "Yes, I'm him," he replied. "Nice to meet you in person. . .Sulley, is it? And Mike."   
  
Mike grinned and shook his hand, cupping his other hand over the side of his mouth to talk to Sulley. "He's pretty nice for being related to Lizard Boy," he commented.   
  
Sulley smirked a bit and poked him. "Be nice, Mikey."   
  
Mike chuckled and ushered the trio towards the door. He just then noticed the girl they had with them. "And who's the pretty gecko girl?" he smirked, looking at Caylin. "Your girlfriend, Caylin?"   
  
Siarra's expression turned into one of surprised shocked and she folded her arms, eyeing at the green, one-eyed monster. "GIRLFRIEND?!?"   
  
"Eek!! Sorry lady," Mike yelped, hiding on the other side of Caylin. "I just assumed. . ."   
  
"That I was his girl? Sorry, but I'm sort of a one-monster spy," she replied simply. "By the way, the name's Siarra. Not 'lady'."   
  
Mike held up his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay. Nice to have. . .uh. . .made your aquaintance," he replied. "Just don't, like, whack me or anything. . .You sorta look like you want to. . ."   
  
Caylin laughed and punched her lightly in the shoulder. "She thinks she's Ms. Tough-Girl," he said, smiling gently Siarra's way.   
  
She just half-rolled her eyes, though she couldn't stop a small smile from appearing on her face. _'Cute, boy. Cute,'_ she thought to herself. Yeah, she wouldn't admit it aloud, though, but he WAS pretty cute. His sense of humor was refreshing too. It seemed to be a break from her normally serious routine. She kinda liked it. . .   
  
Sulley chuckled. "Nice to meet you too, Siarra," he said. "The crash site is pretty high up, so we'll have to take the elevator. Actually, that jet sort of. . . crashed through my office wall." He smiled with amusement at the irony of the event.   
  
"I guess it was a good thing you weren't inside," Caylin replied, chuckling. "Or you would have finished the day with a bang." He laughed at his own joke.   
  
Mike laughed too. "Bang - I get it!" he chuckled. "Sulley and me were actually leaving when it happened. We were heading out the door when a loud crash echoed through the building. For a moment, I thought George blew something up again." He grinned.   
  
Sulley opened the door for them to enter into and followed them inside. CDA agents had just gotten inside, heading towards the crash site themselves to search for survivors. One labelled '4533' stopped them in the doorway, pointing at the other working agents, who were entering the elevator.   
  
"The crash site is blocked off from access," he said. "Only authorized personnel are allowed inside Mr. Sullivan's office until we give it clearance."   
  
Siarra sighed and glanced at Sulley. "What do we do now?"   
  
"Tackle 'em for the touchdown?" Caylin joked.   
  
Ray held up a hand to his friends, indicating that he could handle it on his own, and approached the CDA agent. The lizard-monster reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out an SSO ID card. He held it up in front of the CDA agent. "I'm the SSO President," he declared. "Please step aside, sir."   
  
4533 leaned forward to look at the ID card and immediately realized his mistake. He stepped aside. "My apologies, Mr. Boggs," he said. "Go ahead."   
  
The CDA agent tried to stop Caylin and Siarra, but Caylin pushed 4533's arm aside. "We're with him," Caylin said, jerking a thumb in Ray's direction. "My best friend was the pilot of the aircraft."   
  
The CDA agents respectfully stepped out of the elevator to allow Ray and his friends inside. The SSO president smiled and gave them a nod of gratitude before letting the doors slide closed. The elevator began to slowly rise upward and Mike gave Rayford an approving grin.   
  
"You know, if only I could do that with Roz. . ." he said thoughtfully.   
  
Sulley chuckled at the bit of humor, but then something Caylin said earlier hit him. He looked at Ray. "You mean Randall's up there??" he asked with surprise. "I didn't know he could fly a jet. . .But then again, I don't know what you've been teaching him at the SSO in the first place."   
  
Caylin gave him a goofy smile. "That's cuz he can't," he replied simply. "Pretty good flying for a guy who's never had classes, don't you say?"   
  
Mike shook his head. "I guess you can admit one thing; Lizard Boy's got guts," he said. "Well, you know, not that I couldn't have done the same thing. . .You know how I love driving - all those 'vroom-vrooms' and 'honk-honks'. . ."   
  
The elevator stopped at the second highest floor and the doors slid open. Rayford was the first out. He was desperate to know if anyone survived. He knew he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if his son had died. Rayford jogged over to the door labelled 'CEO Office' and slowly opened the door, dreading what would be behind it.   
  
He looked around the room. The front end of the smoking Shockwave had demolished Sulley's desk, shattered glass was scattered around the room, various knick-knacks and papers were strewn on the floor. It looked like a tornado and an earthquake had hit the place. The gap where the outside wall used to stand was much larger than the crushed jet, giving them a wide view of the city below.   
  
The first thing that caught Ray's eye, though, was the smashed cockpit. The glass built into the roof was cracked and shattered, it sort of resembled an accordian they way it had crunched up. He ran over to it and peered inside, part of him hoping to see someone but the other part hoping that he didn't. No one was inside. . .   
  
Only Randall's cracked helmet remained. . .   
  
Ray reached inside and picked it up, running his three fingers over the crack in it. A look of deep remorse was written on his face. Where were they? Did they survive? What happened? His fronds drooped, looking at the charred helmet, and the father let out a sad sigh. He didn't turn around to look at his friends. Not even when Sulley said his name. Was this his fault? Should he have done things differently?   
  
As if she could read his mind, Siarra approached him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "This isn't your fault, Mr. Boggs," she said. "Don't blame yourself."   
  
"Yeah Ray," Caylin agreed, trying to cheer him up. "Knowing Randall, I bet he had a clever plan of some sort."   
  
Rayford was about to reply, when a sound made him stop. It seemed that he wasn't the only one to heard it. The rest of the monsters stopped what they were doing to listen too.   
  
"Ow!! Don't grab my fronds - it hurts!"   
  
"Sorry Randall. . ."   
  
"Hey, if I didn't know any better, I'd say that sounds like Lizard Boy and his girl," Mike said.   
  
"Randall?? Leia?" Rayford called, trying to locate where the sound was coming from.   
  
"DAD??" came Randall's surprised reply. "We're over here!"   
  
Sulley waved the others over to the gap in the wall. Rayford was the first to join him. Sulley pointed down the side of the building and sure enough, Randall and Leia were right there, hanging on for dear life. A wave of relief washed over Ray to see his son and his friend unscathed. There didn't seem to be a single scratch on them, which was a surprise all in itself.   
  
Caylin scratched his head as he looked down at them. "How the heck did you guys get way down there?"   
  
Randall had a cord attached to the roof of the building, which they were now hanging from. It was obviously one of his spy gadgets that had kept them suspended for so long - the ever-trusty grappling hook. Leia was hanging on desperately to Randall, her arms around his shoulders. Randall had tried to climb up, but the weight of the both of them tired him out to the point that they had to stop only several meters from the edge of Sulley's office.   
  
"Randall and I jumped out of the jet before it crashed into the building," Leia called up to him. "Can you help us? I don't think I can hold on for much longer. . .Oh yeah, and I think Randall's getting tired of holding me too." She managed to give Randall a smile and he gave her a sideways glance, smirking a bit.   
  
Caylin nodded. "No problemo guys," he said. "You'll be up here with us before you can say 'Supercalifragilisticexpealidocious'!"   
  
"I don't think I can say that. . ." Leia joked.   
  
Siarra laughed and punched Caylin in the shoulder lightly. "Don't say that, or it might give them the idea that we'll be here all night trying to get them up," she joked. Caylin grinned at her.   
  
Rayford grabbed the cord that kept the two suspended and began pulling them up. He was joined by Sulley, Siarra, and Caylin. Mike, meanwhile, was acting as an overseer - basically directing orders to them on how they should go about pulling them up. Soon, they had both of them on solid ground.   
  
They were covered with soot and a few bruses began to show up here and there, but otherwise there didn't seem to be anything wrong with either of the agents. Randall helped Leia to her feet. The bond between them was obvious in the way the two looked at each other. Rayford smiled to himself as he watched.   
  
"That was pretty quick thinking with the grappling hook there, son," Rayford admitted, pulling Randall close in a thankful embrace. "I'm just glad the both of you are okay."   
  
Randall gave him a lopsided grin in return and hugged his father back. "Thanks," he replied. "Your advice was pretty good too."   
  
"Awww, Lizard Boy and Lizard Dad are getting mushy. . ." Mike said.   
  
Randall shot Mike a glance. "Can it, Wazowski," he replied, flashing him a small smile afterwards.   
  
Sulley chuckled. "Well, it seems that some things haven't changed. . ."   
  
************************************************   
  
"Boy, this place is fancier than my mom's house. . ." Mike marveled, looking around one of the large auditoriums in the newly-repaired SSO building.   
  
It had taken no more than a week to completely repair the damage done to the SSO from the Shockwave attack. Randall's father had decided to throw a party to welcome new members and to commemorate the success of the rebuilding effort. Agents of all shapes and sizes danced to the music that played in the background while others stood on the sidelines, chatting casually and sharing stories of their latest adventures.   
  
It was a formal sort of party - most of the men in tuxedos and most of the women wearing dresses. The mayor of Monstropolis was even invited. So, things were very bustling and busy. Once and awhile, waiters would pass by with appetizing platters of little snacks. Mike, Ceila, and Sulley had just entered the large, domed room and felt quite lost.   
  
Sulley looked around at the crowd. "Let's see of we can spot Randall or Caylin," he said.   
  
"Lucky for you to say, Big Guy, you're five feet taller than I am!" Mike replied. "It's all a forest of legs, flippers, and tentacles down here. . ." Ceila giggled.   
  
"Hey guys, over here," Randall called, waving a hand in the air to let them know where he was.   
  
Sulley and company politely tried to weave their way through the crowd to reach Randall. He was all decked out in a handsome tuxedo and bow tie. To them, he looked much different than the Randall they were used to working with way back when. But it was a pleasant change. Even Mike was beginning to get used to the 'new Randall'. They also noticed that Leia was standing there with him too, wearing a lovely sea green dress that seemed to compliment her pink eyes. Her long, golden hair was pulled back in a traditional Japanese bun.   
  
She waved to them. "Hi guys. How was the trip down here?" she greeted them.   
  
Sulley was about to answer her when Mike spoke up. "It was great! I got to drive all the way," he replied. "Best hour of driving I had. There's something about a good-looking top hat and a speeding car that's really relaxing. . ."   
  
Randall laughed, leaning his tail against the refreshments table and casually folding his arms. "I hear the mayor of Monstropolis is going to be speaking about us pretty soon," he said. "I've actually been talking to the guy about the banishment sentence they made manditory in Monstropolis."   
  
"Randall told him his story," Leia added.   
  
He nodded. "Yup," he replied. "He says he'll, at least, think it over. I'm hoping that it'll change. I mean, if I can change, why not others - y'know what I mean? I don't think banishment is necessary for everyone."   
  
Sulley nodded thoughtfully. "Well, if you want to know my opinion," he said. "I think it should stay in law. But my opinion has changed a bit since we banished you and you came back and all of that. I think it should be used responsibly."   
  
Randall half-grinned and gave him a nod. "Agreed."   
  
Mike, meanwhile, was busy scanning the crowd or - at least - trying to. He looked back at Randall and Leia. "Where's Caylin?" he asked out of curiosity. "I heard he got a promotion and me and my Smootchy Poo want to congradulate him." Ceila nodded in agreement.   
  
"Oh, Caylin?" Leia echoed him, smiling. "Well, if you look on the dance floor, you can see he's a bit busy now."   
  
Mike glanced around someone's tail and followed Leia's gaze to the dance floor. There he was. Caylin was dancing with Siarra. Surprisingly, he was doing pretty well for a guy who professed to having hand-eye coordination problems. He didn't step on Siarra's foot once and they seemed to be having a great time. Caylin did a slick move, obviously trying to impress Siarra, but he kinda stepped on his tail in the process and fell over. Siarra just giggled and helped him back to his feet, Caylin blushing the whole time. Mike smirked.   
  
"Me thinks he's got a crush," he commented.   
  
Randall nodded. "I think she does too," he replied. "They've been spending alot of time together lately. He certainly loosened Siarra up a bit. The girl was so sarcastic."   
  
Leia smiled, leaning her shoulder against Randall's as she watched the two dance. "Kinda like you?"   
  
Randall just shrugged. "Maybe a bit. . ."   
  
Leia laughed and kissed him on the cheek. "I think you've improved alot yourself," she added. "I'm proud of you, Randy."   
  
Sulley grinned, watching Randall's scales blush a light red. He was about to tease them a bit about their own relationship, when Rayford and Naomi stepped onto a circular platform at the front of the room and asked for everyone's attention. The room slowly quieted down as monsters turned their attention towards the platform. The music flipped off and monsters took their seats. Naomi spoke into the microphone.   
  
"On behalf of Rayford and myself, I'd like to thank you all for coming," she said, pleasantly smiling Randall and Leia's way as she noticed them sitting at the officials' table.   
  
The crowd clapped.   
  
"I have an announcement to make before handing the mike over to the mayor," she continued, looking up at a high-tech holograph that hovered in front of the podium - low enough for her to look over. It displayed her notes and announcements much like cue cards. "First of all, we'd like to welcome our new members. There are so many of you that I won't attempt to name each and every one of you. Please try to make them feel welcome. Be helpful to them."   
  
More clapping followed as the existing agents applauded the newcomers.   
  
"I think that'll be all, now here's the mayor," Naomi finished, stepping aside as the mayor of Monstropolis stepped in her place. He was a very Bile-like monster, though he looked to be a bit more serious.   
  
The holographic screens flashed automatically to his notes as he got behind the podium. "Hello all," he said. "I'd like to thank the SSO Director and his wife for helping with the counter-attack effort against the evil Bad Guy Bureau. I'm sure the President would like to hear about the commendable efforts you've accomplished throughout the SSO agencies nationwide. I'll make sure he does."   
  
The crowd met that comment with an uproar of applause. Randall and Leia both joined in the enthusiastic clapping. Rayford and Naomi simply gave the mayor a modest, but thankful nod.   
  
"And, I'd like to ask Randall and Leia to step up to the platform, please," the mayor said.   
  
Leia raised an eyebrow, looking at Randall as if to say 'your parents didn't mention anything about this'. Randall just shrugged in return as they pushed their seats back. Caylin mouthed from the table across the room, 'go on guys!'. Siarra nodded to them in agreement with Caylin's suggestion. So, they stood and made their way over to the platform, taking a place next to the mayor. He pulled out two ID cards, though they couldn't see what was on them.   
  
"It is now my pleasure to personally present these two courageous agents with Level One passes," he said, handing each of them an ID card. "I find them worthy of such a promotion due to the events that occured last week. They showed commendable courage and resourcefulness in the face of danger. They also showed that they were willing to go above and beyond the call of duty by taking such extreme risks in helping to disarm Mr. Kilroy and his men. Please stand and give them a hand of applause."   
  
Everyone in the room did as the were told, giving them a big round of applause. Rayford and Naomi looked especially proud as they commended their son and his girlfriend. Randall mouthed a 'thank you' to the mayor as the noise quieted. The mayor held up a finger to him, indicating that he wasn't finished yet.   
  
"And I will also present them with the key to the city for saving our beloved Monstropolis," he finished, handing them a large key with a smile on his face. "You both deserve it."   
  
Leia smiled. "Gee, I don't know what to say. . ." she laughed. "Aside from thank you, Mr. Mayor."   
  
Randall nodded in agreement. "What she said," he chuckled. "Thanks."   
  
The mayor nodded back and went back to the microphone, continuing on to the rebuilding of the SSO and his gratitude for their protection. Randall and Leia made their way back to their table, where their parents sat with some other high-ranking SSO workers. Caylin gave them an enthusiastic thumbs-up from his table, a big grin on his face.   
  
"Way to go!" he mouthed to them.   
  
Leia smiled and mouthed back a 'thanks!'. Rayford patted his son on the shoulder supportively, smiling proudly. "I'm very proud of you, son," he said, the pride just glowering off of him. He hugged Randall's shoulders. "I'll be looking forward to going on a few missions with you. That is, if you think you can catch up with your father now. . ." A teasing grin was on his face.   
  
Randall smirked. "Oh, I think I can handle it," he replied.   
  
Naomi looked just as proud as his father. "Spending more quality time with you might be a nice change from the norm," she said. "Perhaps we could see a movie together this weekend. Your friends are more than welcome to join the party. Your father often acts as if he's twenty anyways." She smiled.   
  
Her son laughed. "No problem," he said. "But if I'm gonna be in espionage full-time, I'm going to have to make a sacrifice."   
  
"Like?" his mother asked, raising an eyebrow.   
  
"Like maybe resigning from Monsters Inc," he said. "I'm sure I'll have to talk with Sulley on that one, but I think they'll manage fine without me."   
  
Leia nodded. "I think it'll be fun, though," she said. "Y'know, travelling all over the world and stuff. . .Going on missions. . .That kind of stuff. I've always wanted to travel to places other than Europe and Monstermerica. Like China perhaps, or something like that."   
  
Randall sat back and nodded thoughtfully. "It'll definately be worthwhile," he agreed, glancing across the dance floor to see Sulley talking with another monster - a girl monster. "But I think I'll talk to Sulley about it later." He smirked, watching the conversation.   
  
The mayor finally finished his speech and stepped off the platform. Music began to play once again and agents resumed their activities. Some gathered onto the dance floor and the lights dimmed slightly. Randall gave Leia a sideways glance, smiling softly. Now that all the hectic chaos of their last mission was over with, his mind was really able to drift off to thinking about spending time with her again. As he looked at her, he noticed how lovely she looked in the soft lighting of the room. His heart lept to think that she was his and his alone. Finally, he couldn't hold it in any longer. . .   
  
"Will you dance with me, Leia?" he asked gently, smiling.   
  
Leia met his eyes and smiled warmly. "You know I'd love to. . ."   
  
Rayford and Naomi grinned as their son whisked Leia onto the dance floor with him. "You know, Naomi," Rayford said finally. "Wouldn't it be great to have grandkids?"   
  
Naomi giggled. "Yes and, if you don't mind me saying," she replied, resting her head on his shoulder. "I think we will someday soon. . ."   
  
**THE END**   
  
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NOTE: Stay tuned for the Epilogue (to be written by Randall himself!) and the preview of my next story! I must say, like I do in all my stories, a BIG thanks to all of my readers for the compliments I have gotten on my stories! You guys motivate me to keep going! And, believe me, I won't let you guys down. ~_^ 


	14. Epilogue

**Dangerous Secrets - Epilogue   
by Randall Boggs**   
  
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**- Online Journal Entry - 01   
- DS Epilogue || 3:50 PM**   
  
Hey, Randall here. I've been asked to provide you humans with an update on what's been goin' on since you read about my adventures in the SSO. So, I agreed. And, yeah, you can guess that I was shocked when I first found out my parents were spies. Nonetheless that they were alive! Who knew being the son of a top agent could be such a problem? One minute you think your life is just peachy, the next - WHAM - chaos. After going through an adventure like that, I think I'm ready for anything. *laughs*   
  
Just in case you're wondering, you know those guys from the BGB that retreated in those Shockwaves? They were met at their headquarters and most of them were arrested. A few more sneaky ones managed to escape our grasp, but we have things pretty much under control in Monstropolis.   
  
And, as you probably already know, I've become a full-time agent along with my girlfriend, Leia Kawaii. I had to make a few sacrifices to compromise for it, though. Sulley had let me off without a hitch. And - get this - he even said he'd accept me back if I changed my mind! Quite a change since those times way back when. Y'know, when Sulley and I began trying to beat the stuffing out of each other back in college? Oh. Wait. Sorry, that's TOO far back. . . Ahem. . .Anyways, you guys know what I mean.   
  
You're probably curious about what's goin' on with Mike and Ceila. Last I heard, they left to visit Mike's parents in Tupelo for a month. They took Michael with them too. Duh. You knew that. He's also growing fast. Cute kid, really. Roz is doin' her thing at Monsters Inc. (Though I don't really know anyone who wants to know. . .) She's probably stalking paperwork slackers everywhere. Sulley - he's gotten interested in a girl from our organization. My dad's secretary, actually. And he's still in charge of the Monsters Incorporated empire. As for Caylin and Siarra, their relationship is really getting close. Siarra just loved his fluppy and that slobbery little mutt is drooling all over her (though not quite as much as Caylin *snicker*snicker*).   
  
Now, as for me and Leia. . .We dated and did missions together for about a month before I made my move. I swear, man, that was the hardest thing I ever had to do. Yeah. That's right. I finally got up the guts to ask her to marry me. Commitment - the scariest thing since. . .well, me. *laughs* But she said. . .yes! I was relieved beyond words, I'll tell you that.   
  
So, when our wedding day finally came, we went to Mexico. It was kind of a secret wedding. One of our "friends" from the BGB - Hunter - was determined to stop us when he heard we were getting married. They know we'd have kids with the same spy genes as my parents and I have, so he's out to stop it. Scaredy cat. . .   
  
Anyways, we had to move the wedding to another country under supervision of some of our agents, so that it would be safe. Beautiful place though - and my friends were there to watch the wedding (Caylin, Siarra, Sulley, Mike, and even Ceila and Michael). Leia and I had just exchanged vows when these helicopters popped up out of nowhere. We were seaside up a cliff, so they probably rose up out of the canyon. It seemed that the BGB had found us. Well, actually it was postitive that they had found us. Heh. Who else would interrupt a wedding like that? So, we were told to get out of there. Great finish to the day, don't you think? My father said he'd gather the attending agents to distract them as we made our way out. It worked and here I am to this day. I'll tell you one thing - never become a spy unless you like alot of excitement in your life. *laughs* I've learned to deal.   
  
But - now to the present. We've (just today, in fact) gotten the announcement from the doctors that Leia's pregnant. We're gonna be parents for the first time - which is exciting. But if you don't think I'm nervous, you're nuts. . . I'm VERY anxious about this. Will I make as good of a father as my own dad? Can I handle the responsibility of having a kid? I really don't know this myself, to tell you the truth. I can just hope I'll do a decent job. I guess we'll have to find out once the little guy (or girl) is born.   
  
Wish me luck!   
  
_**- Randall Boggs**_


	15. Third Story Preview & Trailer!

**Third Story - Preview and Trailer   
by Joy**   
  
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In the third story I'm developing, I'll be using alot of exact scenes and ideas from "SPYkids" and "SPYkids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams". Thanks a bunch to Robert Rodriguez, Troublemaker Studios, and Dimension films for making such inventive and imaginative spy movies. I just got the second movie on DVD, so it has given me so much inspiration for this third one - as well as partial inspiration for DS, though I never used the exact ideas he had as I am going to in the third one. Since Randall and Leia have become more experienced agents, I can really do some cool things with this next story.   
  
In the next story, Randall and Leia basically have twins, which I have noticed no one has done before (it was always either one girl or one boy), but I'm going to try to accomplish putting them both in successfully as main characters. Since Leia and Randall had found out that they were expecting a baby, they quit the SSO. They had quite a list of accomplished missions behind them. Randall comes back to work for Monsters Inc again to support his family and they try to keep their spy past a secret from their kids, which they accomplish sucessfully for eight years of the kids' lives. But then, we get into my story, which I'm not going to reveal. The name of the story is still undecided as of yet, but it'll probably be "Spy Game". But here are the kids' short bios, their middle names are a tribute to the stars of SPYKids. . .   
  
**Name:** Hayley Alexa Boggs   
**Age:** 8   
**Voice:** Tara Charendoff ("Melody" in Little Mermaid 2)   
**Appearance:** She looks much like her father. Lavender scales and big, green eyes. She has golden hair like her mother and four limbs. Her back is speckled with yellow and blue.   
  
**Name:** Cody Daryl Boggs   
**Age:** 8   
**Voice:** Daryl Sabara ("Juni Cortez" in SPYkids)   
**Appearance:** He's identical to his sister except the fact that he's a boy. He likes wearing the Monstropolis Monstars hockey team cap, backwards on his head. His three fronds stick out from under the brim of his hat, kinda like hair. But he has short, curly dirty-blonde hair as well.   
  
Their personalities will be revealed in the story. ^_^   
  
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**"Spy Game" Trailer**   
  
**camera travels up the stairs of a house to the attic, where Randall and Leia are packing some of their spy gadgets and stuff in a chest. . .music plays softly in the background**   
  
Randall: *sighs, closing the lid and looks at Leia* We can't let them know. . .I-I just don't want to make the same mistake my parents made with me. . .   
  
Narrator: Randall Fans United and Monstropolis Pictures presents. . .   
  
Leia: *nods and stands, looking pretty big around her midsection* I know. . .It's for the best.   
  
Narrator: A new story of mystery and discovery. . .   
  
**flashes to a scene years later where Randall and Leia are alone in their bedroom**   
  
Randall: I just got a call. . .   
  
Leia: From who?   
  
Randall: The SSO. . .They want us back.   
  
Narrator: With one exception. . .   
  
Hayley: *walks up to Randall slowly, looking up at him curiously* Dad. . .?   
  
Narrator: This time - it's a family affair. . .   
  
**music speeds up to a small variation of the "Mission: Impossible" theme - more along the lines of the SPYkids theme**   
  
Narrator: Always watch your back. . .   
  
Randall: We've gotta get out of here - now!   
  
Narrator: And trust no one. . .   
  
Cody: You know our parents?   
  
Another Monster: *smirks evilly* Of course. . .   
  
**shoots to a black screen with the words 'Spy Game' in bold, metallic-looking letters pop up. Another set of words takes it's place 'Coming Soon'. . .then a fade out** 


End file.
